Go-ahead for David Lloyd Harrogate padel tennis courts

The application, which goes before North Yorkshire Council’s Harrogate and Knaresborough area planning committee on Tuesday, seeks permission for the outdoor courts and a social area already built at the David Lloyd Harrogate gym in Oakdale Place.

A previous application was rejected last September due to concerns over noise and the impact on local ecology.

To address these issues, the leisure company has proposed mitigation measures, including four-metre acoustic barriers and upgraded “asymmetric” lighting designed to reduce spill into the nearby Oak Beck wildlife corridor.

The report notes the site sits within flood zones two and three, meaning it is at a high risk from river flooding.

A test is required to prove such developments in these zones cannot be placed in lower-risk areas, but the report notes that the applicant only looked at alternative spots within their own grounds.

A report prepared ahead of the meeting by council planners admits this represents a policy conflict, but they say the benefits to community health are so clear, that this is not a key issue.

The proposal has divided opinion in the community, with the council receiving 175 letters of support and 34 objections.

Supporters praised the “inclusivity” of the sport, while neighbours on Norwood Grove and Oakdale Glen raised fears over the “sharp, repetitive and intrusive” noise of padel rackets.

To protect residents, officers have recommended new operating hours from 8am to 8pm Monday to Saturday, and 9am to 7pm on Sundays.

Recommending approval, case officer Lisa Alder concluded that the revisions are sufficient to ensure the courts “would not result in unacceptable harm to neighbouring amenity or ecology”.