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18
Nov
David Lloyd appeals Harrogate padel court enforcement notice
David Lloyd has lodged an appeal against a council planning enforcement notice over the use of its Harrogate padel courts.
North Yorkshire Council served a notice on the centre on October 10, which ordered that the company cease using the courts on Oakdale Place and remove them within 30 days of the order being issued.
It follows complaints from residents about noise from the outdoor facility, which was built in December 2023.
The council also denied retrospective planning permission for the two outdoor courts in September after officials felt a noise assessment submitted in support of the plans did not “sufficiently account for the impacts created by the padel courts”.
Now, David Lloyd has taken the council’s enforcement notice to the government’s Planning Inspectorate, which deals with planning disputes.
An example of a traditional padel court, uploaded in support of the plans.
In documents lodged as part of its appeal, the company said it had already agreed with the council to cease using the padel courts at the Oakbeck Place site.
But, it described the second part of the notice —which requires the padel court structures and associated social area to be removed in 30 days — as “disproportionate”.
David Lloyd said it was already in “positive, proactive dialogue” with planning officers about the padel courts.
It added:
It is considered however, in respect of Step Two, namely the removal of the padel court structures and associated social area, is disproportionate in the circumstances that a positive, proactive dialogue is being held with both the Planning Officer’s and the EHO on a remedy solution which will make the proposals acceptable.
This will result in a revised planning application which we consider should be determined positively by February.
The company said the courts were not in use and, therefore, removing them at this time was “disproportionate”.
It added:
Simply put, the courts themselves do not cause any harm to visual amenity: the council has acknowledged that the harm is through their use, which has ceased.
The request made to North Yorkshire Council has been to delay or amend the enforcement for removal of the padel courts, which will put David Lloyd to significant additional expense, as a consequence of their removal and re-erection following a grant of planning permission.
A government planning inspector will make a decision on the appeal at a later date.
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