Planning Inspector's ruling in David vs Goliath battle over new Harrogate padel courts leaves a 'bitter taste'

A Harrogate councillor says she is angry that residents will now face a "lifetime of gunshot sounds" after a Government Inspector ruled in support of two new outdoor courts near a residential area of town.

Government Planning Inspector D M Young decided to allow the development by David Lloyd Harrogate at Oakdale Place despite councillors' noise and night-time lighting concerns, saying the available acoustic evidence did not establish unacceptable harm to neighbours.

The appeal decision overturned the refusal of retrospective permission by members of the Harrogate and Knaresborough area planning committee of North Yorkshire Council for the development, which had seen the two padel courts and and adjoining social area already in place when the Inspector visited, although they were not in use.

But Councillor Josy Thompson, who represents the Duchy Ward at Harrogate Town Council, which opposed the development, said she was not only surprised but angered by the outcome in what she described as a “David and Goliath” battle.

"None of us are against padel or the people who enjoy playing,” said Coun Thompson.

“But the David Lloyd courts were built without planning permission and the local residents association and Harrogate Town Council had to fight very hard to get enforcement action taken to stop their use.

"This was achieved with both Harrogate Town Council and North Yorkshire Council voting against the retrospective application, even with some noise mitigation.

"A residential area is simply the wrong place for a noisy sport.

"To have this overturned by the higher authority Planning Inspector really does feel as if local voices don't count.

"How would the planners like these gunshot sounds in their own back gardens until 10pm at night?”

Padel is widely recognised as one of the fastest-growing racket sports in the world with total player numbers in the UK estimated to be nearing the one million mark.

The appeal to the Government Planning Inspector in this case concerned application 25/04660/FUL, which sought permission for two courts measuring approximately 10 by 20 metres each, with glass and mesh enclosures up to four metres high.

The revised scheme by David Lloyds Clubs included efforts to meet concerns by some local residents over noise and lighting, including four-metre acoustic barriers, improved lighting and post-installation noise measurements intended to protect nearby homes and the Oak Beck corridor.

David Lloyd Clubs also said it had introduced voluntary restrictions on operating hours and carried out its own noise assessment.

Inspector Young assessed their effect on the living conditions of residents around Norwood Grove and Oakdale Glen, rather than treating the popularity of padel as a sufficient reason for approval.

The nearest residential gardens were approximately 41 metres away at Oakdale Glen and 45 metres away at Norwood Grove, he said.

Existing tennis courts occupy neighbouring land, and the padel site previously accommodated a tennis court and members’ social area.

The Inspector’s new ruling, which allows play at the Oakdale Place site until 10pm, subject to enforceable conditions, is in accord with the original recommendation for approval by planning officers at North Yorkshire Council.

But a number of Harrogate councillors still feel any new applications for outdoor padel courts in the town should always be built away from residents.

And Coun Thompson says the end result of this planning wrangle seems to be “deeply unfair” to residents.

"The residents of Oakdale Glen and Norwood Grove have already experienced for years the noise involved and the environmental disturbance of having padel courts at the end of their gardens,” she said.

"After a temporary reprieve they will now be subjected to this again forever. This is deeply unfair.

"It really does feel like a David vs Goliath moment but David has, sadly, lost against a giant with deeper pockets."