A REPORT has recommended approval for plans to build three new padel tennis courts in Lichfield.
The development is earmarked for land off Greenhough Road in Beacon Park.
It would see three courts built, along with a facilities building, floodlighting and fencing.
A decision on the proposed development will be made by Lichfield District Council’s planning committee next week, but a report to the meeting has recommended the scheme be approved.
The scheme would see part of the existing golf course used for the facility.
The planning report said:
“The proposed development uses existing land set aside for sports and recreation within Beacon Park to provide new padel tennis facilities. It is a sport which is recognised as rapidly growing in popularity.
“The disrupted hole on the existing golf course will be compensated for in the long term through a significant reconfiguration to create a nine-hole pitch and putt.”
It is the second location proposed for the padel courts after a previous application was withdrawn after criticism of the planned site.
Eight objections have been raised around concerns about the loss of part of the park and its golf course, as well as worries over noise and light pollution for those living nearby.
The report said the new spot was more than 120 metres from the nearest residential properties.
“The physical construction of the courts, the fences, walls and clubhouse will have no significant impact on the amenities, through overlooking, loss of privacy or overbearing or overshadowing.”
Councillors will decide whether to approve the scheme at a meeting on Monday (3rd February).
Bravo! Curmudgeons begone. This is great news for Lichfield!
This will be a great addition to Lichfield’s leisure offer. It’s a brilliant fusion of squash and tennis. We hope at Lichfield Squash Club that if people enjoy playing pádel, they might come and try squash, which offers just as much fun and is more intensive. It’s also indoors and we have 2 glass back courts based at King Edward VI School.
Shame the golf course is going to suffer but I guess the numbers using it are dropping year on year.
But some more green space being dug up all the same not a good site in my opinion.
These courts are totally unsympathetic to the park, on both ecological and aesthetic grounds, blurring parkland into the adjacent car park. Six, 6 metre high floodlights on each court is staggering light pollution within a park setting, fragmenting & disrupting biodiversity, adversely impacting birds, pollinators, amphibians etc…
If the golf course is underused, return it to the park, this is creeping erosion of limited green space. Parks not profit! Dismissing genuine ecological objections as ‘negative or curmudgeonly’ are themselves troubling aspersions.
Good news….but is it big enough? Paddle Tennis is hugely popular and is a very fast growing participation sport. What happens if they need to build more courts? Would that mean more of the park would be used? I wouldn’t be a fan of that. We need to protect that space as much as we need this new addition.
Does anyone really take heed of what the comments here on Lichfield Live mean. Generally people who post here hate the idea of Padel courts for very good reasons . Nature, green spaces etc. please Lichfield district council take note. We are losing more and more green belt around our city . So keep Beacon park as a green space. It may be all we have left in years to come .