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10
Oct
Council ‘will not hesitate to take enforcement action' over noisy Harrogate padel courts
North Yorkshire Council has said it is taking the issue over noisy Harrogate padel courts seriously and warned it ‘will not hesitate’ to take further enforcement action amid residents' complaints.
It follows complaints from residents about the outdoor courts located at David Lloyd on Oakdale Place.
Members of the Oak Beck Valley Residents Association said that padel tennis is a “notoriously noisy sport with rifle-like cracks from the racquet volleys”. They added that the courts, located “right in the middle of a quiet residential area”, are disturbing residents and wildlife.
Residents have complained that noise coming from the courts also includes shouting, cheering, and occasional swearing that continues through the day.
Patrick Fitzgerald, chairman of the residents’ association, said:
We understand padel is a fun sport that’s good for your health, but if they want to play here it needs to be moved indoors into a solid building. Our summer was ruined and we can no longer enjoy our gardens.
The leisure centre had retrospective planning permission denied last month after it built the two outdoor courts in December 2023, but residents say padel is continuing to be played.
The padel court application received 63 objections and included concerns about noise levels and the impact on ecology.
The facilities are available for use throughout the day and have floodlights operating until 10pm. Residents say this is disturbing wildlife such as owls and bats that live in the nearby woodland.
A David Lloyd spokesperson told the Stray Ferret in September that the centre was “fully committed to ensuring our activities do not cause disruption”.
‘We will not hesitate to take further enforcement action’
The council has responded to ongoing complaints, warning of possible further enforcement action for David Lloyd.
Karl Battersby, corporate director of environment at the council, said an investigation was carried out earlier this year which found that the noise was considered "an unacceptable level".
He added:
We received a number of complaints from residents earlier this year about alleged noise nuisance coming from the outdoor padel courts at David Lloyd, on Oakdale Place, in Harrogate.
A full investigation was carried out by our environmental protection and planning enforcement teams, and it was considered the noise was at an unacceptable level.
A noise abatement notice has since been served which requires the business to stop or reduce the noise to an appropriate level, while planning enforcement are continuing to consider appropriate action.
This is a live case that we are actively working on, and we will continue to liaise with residents and managers at David Lloyd to reach a swift and positive resolution. We will not hesitate to take further enforcement action if it is required.
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