Oakham Tennis Club Floodlighting of court 4 could spill into the wildlife corridor surrounding the brook

Oakham Tennis club floodlights Rutland County Council recommending approval

At Tuesdays meeting to be held at Rutland  County Council Tuesday at  6pm

Planning Officers are recommending approval.

GRANT PLANNING PERMISSION, subject to the following conditions:
1. The development, hereby permitted, shall be begun not later than 3 years from the
date of this permission. REASON – To comply with the requirements of Section 91 of
the Town and Country Planning Act, 1990.

2. The development hereby permitted shall not be carried out except in complete
accordance with the details shown on the layout plan received on 30 May 2012, and
on the Planning Data Pack prepared by Exclusive Leisure Ltd., received on 16 April
2012. REASON – For the avoidance of doubt, and to ensure that the scheme takes
the form agreed by the Authority.

3. Prior to the first use of the new floodlighting hereby approved, all the baffles, shields
and other technical details indicated on the plans specified in Condition 2, above, shall
be fully installed in accordance with those approved plans, and retained as such.
REASON – To avoid detrimental impact on the residential amenity of neighbouring
premises, and detrimental impact on the wildlife habitat at the south of the site.

4. The new floodlighting hereby approved shall only be used during the following times:
April to September
Courts 2 and 3
Monday - Friday: 9am – 9.30pm
Weekends and bank holidays: 9am to 7pm
Court 4
9am to 7pm, other than one day per week (not a Saturday, Sunday or Bank
Holiday) when the hours of use shall be 9am – 9.30pm, the specific day to be
agreed in writing in advance with the Local Planning Authority.
October to March
Courts 2 and 3
Monday - Friday: 9am – 8pm
Weekends and Public Holidays: 9am to 6pm
Court 4
9am to 7pm
REASON – To avoid detrimental impact on the residential amenity of neighbouring
premises, and detrimental impact on the wildlife habitat at the south of the site.

Reason to Approve

Subject to the specified conditions, the plans and technical information submitted with
this application are in accordance with the Development Plan and National Planning
Policy Framework. The key material considerations are the impact on residential
amenity of neighbouring dwellings and on adjacent wildlife habitat, which have been
satisfactorily addressed 29


Consultations
10. Oakham Town Council
No comments.

11. Sport England
Support for the application

12. Highway Authority
No objections


13. Environmental Health Officer
The submitted Light Spillage Plans and suggested hours of use will not cause a statutory
nuisance, but potential glare should be considered. A condition should also be imposed on
any permission, requiring the new lighting to be installed and maintained as approved.
Initial Plans
No objection, subject to conditions to control hours of use, and installation/maintenance in
accordance with the approved details.

Additional Details

Ecological Consultant

Floodlighting of court 4 could spill into the wildlife corridor surrounding the brook at the
south of the site, thereby impacting on the bat habitat. More stringent hours of use
conditions should be applied to the floodlighting of this court.

This is interesting as the brook is further away according to the plan than the residents
gardens, resident are told light wont flood into their gardens. But those who have followed 
this application will know the tennis club is not very good at telling the truth and lacks manners
when dealing with their neighbours.


Residents have been shown photographs of other clubs who have lights and we are told these 
don't effect nearby residents. The photographs all show lights mounted in the centre either side of 
the net, Oakham Tennis Club is proposing to place the lights at the ends of the courts which back directly onto residents properties.


At a Town Council meeting because the Landlords are the Town Council, Conservative Councillor Gene Plews was sent down to attempt to sway the vote of the Town Council. (the first application was turned down) I wonder what his stance would be if Northamptonshire Council approved floodlighting at the bottom of his garden.  



Neighbour Representations

Twenty seven neighbouring dwellings were consulted. One letter of support was received,
commenting on the increased potential for local youngsters to undertake training and strive
to become professionals.


A total of twelve individual letters of objection were received with a further objection signed
by ten members of a residents group. The key grounds of objection are:

Impact of lighting on the character of the area (potential prison-like character)
Impact of light spillage on residential amenity of neighbouring properties, particularly
given the height of the lighting columns and the potential to disturb children’s sleep
Impact on the wildlife corridor at the south of the site
More intensive use of the site will increase traffic congestion in the area
More intensive use of the site into sensitive evening hours will increase noise
disturbance for adjacent residents and extend the impact on privacy, particularly as
some of the neighbouring dwellings have very short rear gardens.
Insufficient demand in Oakham for this intensified use of tennis facilities
Other such facilities could be utilised, for example at Catmose College.

One objector has also submitted photographs to support his comment that the tennis club
is under-utilised.