Plans to build two new outdoor padel tennis courts at Harrogate Sports and Fitness Club withdrawn

Councillors were due to consider the application at a meeting today and it was recommended for approval by a council planning officer.

The Local Democracy Reporting Service asked the club why the plans had been withdrawn but did it not send a response.

The club on Hookstone Wood Road already has two padel tennis courts and was looking to expand its offering to meet a rising demand for the sport.

The new padel courts would have been built adjacent to the centre’s car park and some trees which adjoin the Hookstone Nature Reserve.

A second part of the planning application would have seen a grassed area to the west of the existing car park used as event parking for up to 80 days of the year in association with the nearby Yorkshire Show Ground.

The scheme attracted significant local attention and received 72 letters of support and 58 objections.

Those in favour said the extra facilities would boost participation in sport in Harrogate and help support healthy lifestyles.

Meanwhile, objectors raised concerns about the proposed car park and said the courts’ proximity to Hookstone Woods could disrupt an important wildlife corridor.

Harrogate District Cycling Action was also critical about the traffic impact on the adjacent Yorkshire Showground Greenway and the National Cycle Network route 6.

Despite the objections, a planning officer wrote that the application would have met the council’s requirements on a range of issues.

They said: “The proposal is not considered to create an unacceptable street scene or landscape harm and is not considered to create unacceptable amenity, environmental health, arboricultural, highways, drainage or ecology harm.”