Padel courts scheme approved at Wakefield rugby club
The development includes building four courts on a field next the clubhouse at Sandal RUFC, on Standbridge Lane.
Plans to build padel courts at a rugby union club in Wakefield have been given the go-ahead by council planners.
The development includes building four courts on a field next the clubhouse at Sandal RUFC, on Standbridge Lane.
Padel combines tennis and squash and is played on a court one-third the size of a normal tennis court and has grown in popularity in recent years.
A planning statement submitted to the local authority on behalf of the club said the new facility would be located on land used as an overflow parking area which was not currently used as a playing or training pitch.
Proposals include installing lighting columns around the 20m by 10m courts, as well as a 4m-high glass wall and fencing.
The document said: “The proposal therefore creates an excellent opportunity to bring the land back into active sports use to support the rugby club.
“The proposal will deliver a number of social benefits including improvement of general health and wellbeing whilst there will be economic benefits to the rugby club
“From an environmental point of view, the proposed design and siting is acceptable and there will be no harm to residential amenity of adjacent residents.”
A total of 27 comments of support were submitted to the council backing the plans.
People in favour said the facility would “promote social interaction, physical activity and wellbeing for all ages and abilities, helping to strengthen the community.”
One supporter of the development said: “The site is a well established and respected sporting facility and the proposal would complement this without detracting from the character of the area.”
Three objections were submitted by residents raising concerns over the potential for an increase in noise disturbance.
One objector said: “The traffic in the area is already extreme and extra activities in the club will cause more traffic and extra disturbance.”
The Rugby Football Union (RFU) also commented on the plans, saying: “As the club have stated that the area is not used for rugby union activity, the RFU does not believe the loss of playing field would adversely affect impact the rugby union activity on the site.”
Approving the scheme, a planning officer said: “The proposal has been assessed against national and local planning policies and guidance and is considered to be acceptable.”