News: Rotherham Council knocks back padel plans
Plans to introduce padel courts to Rotherham town centre have been refused by the local council.
The counci's 2017 masterplan placed a greater emphasis on town centre living and leisure, as opposed to traditional retail uses, in continuing the regeneration of Rotherham town centre.
Rothbiz reported in May on a planning application for two padel courts to be constructed over the car park of the boutique hotel in the historic George Wright Building on the heritage High Street.
Developers took on an unused underground building next to the George Wright where The Bunka opened earlier this year - a premium underground VIP golf simulator and leisure venue located on Snail Hill featuring state-of-the-art TrackMan technology, in-house PGA coaching and a members-only bar. A spa in the building is set to follow.
The latest plans from applicant, Mark McGrail of SME Holding Ltd, are for the installation of a simple metal deck for two padel courts over the existing car park.
The courts would be surrounded by fencing and protective panels, plus LED lighting, with plans stating that the proposal "represents a sensitive and sustainable development opportunity that respects its historical context, makes efficient use of underutilised urban land, and delivers an additional element to this urban entertainment venue."
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Given that the site is within the town's conservation area, and the George Wright is a listed building, the plans state that the height and massing have been sensitively designed. The required fencing and protective panels around the courts will be covered by canopies, which the plans state: "although quite high in relation to the GW Hotel it will have little impact upon the GW Hotel given its semi-transparent nature." The development is also easily reversible due to its construction.
Refusing the plans without going to the council's planning board, officers took issue with potential noise and disturbance, and with how the courts would look in proximity to the Grade I listed Rotherham Minster, and Grade II listed George Wright Hotel.
A report from planners states: "The proposed Padel Courts would introduce an incongruous form of development to this commercial Town Centre Location that would cause noise and disturbance to local residents and occupants of commercial properties harming their amenity.
"Due to the visual prominence, height and materials of the proposed Padel Courts the development would appear incongruously within this Town Centre location and would materially harm the setting of the Grade I listed Rotherham Minster and would lead to less than substantial harm to the character and appearance of the Rotherham Town Centre Conservation Area.
The proposed development would also lead to less than substantial harm, at the higher end to the setting of the adjacent Grade II listed building known as the George Wright Hotel. Whilst some public benefit has been identified from the proposals, it is considered that it does not outweigh the harm to these identified designated heritage assets."
To fit in the courts, the structure would go over the Snail Hill access road. Council planners said that this would create "an intimidating environment for pedestrians."
Images: Google Maps / SME / Just Architecture
The counci's 2017 masterplan placed a greater emphasis on town centre living and leisure, as opposed to traditional retail uses, in continuing the regeneration of Rotherham town centre.
Rothbiz reported in May on a planning application for two padel courts to be constructed over the car park of the boutique hotel in the historic George Wright Building on the heritage High Street.
Developers took on an unused underground building next to the George Wright where The Bunka opened earlier this year - a premium underground VIP golf simulator and leisure venue located on Snail Hill featuring state-of-the-art TrackMan technology, in-house PGA coaching and a members-only bar. A spa in the building is set to follow.
The latest plans from applicant, Mark McGrail of SME Holding Ltd, are for the installation of a simple metal deck for two padel courts over the existing car park.
The courts would be surrounded by fencing and protective panels, plus LED lighting, with plans stating that the proposal "represents a sensitive and sustainable development opportunity that respects its historical context, makes efficient use of underutilised urban land, and delivers an additional element to this urban entertainment venue."
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Given that the site is within the town's conservation area, and the George Wright is a listed building, the plans state that the height and massing have been sensitively designed. The required fencing and protective panels around the courts will be covered by canopies, which the plans state: "although quite high in relation to the GW Hotel it will have little impact upon the GW Hotel given its semi-transparent nature." The development is also easily reversible due to its construction.
Refusing the plans without going to the council's planning board, officers took issue with potential noise and disturbance, and with how the courts would look in proximity to the Grade I listed Rotherham Minster, and Grade II listed George Wright Hotel.
A report from planners states: "The proposed Padel Courts would introduce an incongruous form of development to this commercial Town Centre Location that would cause noise and disturbance to local residents and occupants of commercial properties harming their amenity.
The proposed development would also lead to less than substantial harm, at the higher end to the setting of the adjacent Grade II listed building known as the George Wright Hotel. Whilst some public benefit has been identified from the proposals, it is considered that it does not outweigh the harm to these identified designated heritage assets."
To fit in the courts, the structure would go over the Snail Hill access road. Council planners said that this would create "an intimidating environment for pedestrians."
Images: Google Maps / SME / Just Architecture
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