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THE PLANS FOR THREE NEW COVERED PADEL COURTS AT SUTTON COLDFIELD TENNIS CLUB HAVE BEEN RECOMMENDED FOR APPROVAL DESPITE 47 OBJECTIONS AND FEARS OF ‘GUNSHOT-LIKE NOISES' 16:35, 03 Jun

2025 A new courts plan at a Sutton Coldfield tennis venue which sparked fears of ‘gunshot-like noises’ from a new form of the sport is set to be given the go-ahead despite a number of

objections. Sutton Coldfield Tennis Club in Highbridge Road has applied to install three new covered padel courts, each 10 metres by 20 metres, to replace one existing lawn tennis court.

With each padel court having four-metre high toughened glass around them and a 10.5 metre-high canopy over all three. In addition the plan is to reconfigure two other tennis courts, turning

them 90 degrees, to accommodate the new development. The new padel courts would be used 8am to 9pm daily. READ MORE: PADEL TENNIS ROW IN LEAFY STREET AS NEIGHBOURS FEAR

'GUNFIRE'-STYLE RACKET But residents raised objections earlier this year, with Janice Baker, who lives in nearby Birmingham Road saying the noise from padel tennis is ‘like a gun –

bang, bang, bang’. Article continues below The neighbouring residents also raised concerns that replacing one court with three, which are used by four players per court intensifies the use

of the site. This would lead to additional noise and also traffic and parking concerns in Highbridge Road they said. Janice’s husband, John, said: “It’ll be like the Gunfight at the OK

Corral around here if they get permission While fellow Birmingham Road resident, Jason Kerrigan, raised the issue of how the noise will impact residents in nearby care homes. He said:

“Utterly entitled, dismissively arrogant and extraordinarily oblivious to the plight of elderly people.” To allay some of the fears, which were also raised by regulatory services to the

applicant, Sutton Coldfield Tennis Club has now agreed to install a 2.5-metre high acoustic fence around the padel courts to dampen the noise. Planning officer, Audrey Lewis’s report,

recommends the city council’s planning committee, which is set to meet on Thursday (June 5) approves the application, subject to a s106 legal agreement being agreed, with some payments for

biodiversity commitments required under the planning laws. Ms Lewis said the city council had received 47 objections from residents and also concerns were raised by Wylde Green city

councillor Alex Yip. Residents complaints included noise concerns claiming ‘padel is significantly louder than tennis’, light disturbance – but this was not agreed with new Tweener lights

said to be less intrusive than existing floodlights. Other issues raised were over the consultation, highway and pedestrian safety, the height of the canopy making it visible from nearby

houses and be ‘overbearing’. And an existing padel court being erected without planning permission said to currently be the subject of an enforcement investigation. READ MORE: BIRMINGHAM

MILLIONAIRES' ROW LIVID OVER 'GUNSHOT-LIKE' RACKET Two more objections were raised regarding the amended application including the acoustic fencing, arguing it would not stop

the noise and they would not be able to sit in their garden as a result. Cllr Yip raised residents’ concerns over whether the site could accommodate the expansion with the key issues being

noise, parking and traffic flow. He recommended a site visit by committee members before a final decision is made. Read more: But some 117 letters supporting the application were also

received citing padel being a fast-growing sport and a need for facilities in north Birmingham. GET BREAKING NEWS ON BIRMINGHAMLIVE WHATSAPP, CLICK THE LINK TO JOIN And that the expansion of

the facilities would ‘enhance the viability and long-term future of the tennis club’. The report says tennis membership has dropped 19 per cent in 10 years and squash membership is down 17

per cent, meaning some 139 fewer members. Other pluses suggested were an improvement to the health and wellbeing of people in the area ‘all year round’ with covered padel courts. And the

suggestion that padel tennis is ‘very inclusive and accessible’ compared to tennis. Of note the Lawn Tennis Association is also said to support the application. READ MORE: CLOCK TICKING FOR

FRAUDSTER WHO MUST FIND £250K TO STAY OUT OF JAIL The planning officer referenced the concerns over the padel courts being ‘overbearing’ and ‘causing detriment to visual amenity’. But Ms

Lewis said the proposed canopy, which would be translucent, would site below the adjacent bunding and ‘mature tree screen’. A Scots pine and juniper trees were also to be planted to add

further screening. She also said the new floodlights would be lower, beneath the canopy ‘further reducing their impact’ and seen as an ‘improvement’. On noise, with the addition of the 2.5

metre acoustic fencing, regulatory services officers had no objections. There would also not be ‘any material increase in traffic volumes’. While windows at Sutton Park Grange Care Home

overlook the courts they were ends of corridors, not habitable rooms. GET THE LATEST SUTTON COLDFIELD NEWS DELIVERED DIRECT TO YOUR INBOX Two further points were the care home application

was approved after the floodlights were approved in 2014. And there had been no noise objections regarding the existing padel court, in place since October 2017, prior to this new

application. And as it has been operating for more than four years, it was now ‘immune from enforcement action’. Ms Lewis said: “The proposed development would help to provide a more varied

leisure offer at the club, promoting health and wellbeing. “The accompanying reports, evidence and landscaping mitigation plan confirm there would be no significant adverse impact on the

amenity of neighbours, highway and pedestrian safety. “The development accords with the Development Plan and is therefore acceptable. I recommend that planning permission is granted subject

to conditions.” Article continues below Those conditions are a s106 agreement for the club to pay £5,802.44 as a biodiversity gain monitoring contribution and a further £2,000 monitoring and

administration fee, both by September 30, 2025 or the application will be refused. The ultimate decision will be made by the planning committee on Thursday (June 5).