Plans to build a further two outdoor padel tennis courts at Harrogate Sports & Fitness Club have been recommended for approval ahead of a meeting next week.
Councillors on North Yorkshire Council’s Harrogate and Knaresborough planning committee will meet next Thursday to consider the plans, which would see two 23x27m courts built with netting and an 11m tall canopy.
Padel tennis has exploded in popularity in recent years. The sport is a mix of tennis and squash and is played on a court one-third the size of a normal tennis court.
The members’ club on Hookstone Wood Road currently offers two outdoor padel courts as well as squash courts and gym and fitness studios.
According to planning documents, the new padel courts would be 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 see 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.
Concerns were raised by the North Yorkshire Council’s ecologist about potential light pollution from the courts and the removal of one goat willow tree.
Following this, the club provided further information about the lighting which stated it would be at acceptable levels and that the tree had “limited ecological benefit.”
The scheme has 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.
One person said:
“Padel tennis has been an incredible enhancement to my life, both physically and socially/mentally.
"The current facilities at HSFC are limited and I believe the wider community would benefit massively from having access to the two additional covered padel courts being proposed.”
Meanwhile, those critical of the scheme raised concerns about the proposed car park and said the courts’ proximity to Hookstone Woods could disrupt an important wildlife corridor.
An objector said:
“This area is an area of beauty, but with the installation of further padel courts one has to wonder where this will stop. If people are struggling for court bookings there is Padel Surge less than a mile away.”
Councillors will meet next Thursday (August 29) at 2pm at Harrogate Civic Centre. The meeting will be streamed live on the council’s YouTube channel.
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