Green light for padel courts at rugby club

Plans have been approved to build padel courts at a rugby union club in Wakefield.

Sandal RUFC on Standbridge Lane aims to build four courts on a field next to its clubhouse.

Padel has grown in popularity in recent years and is a combination of tennis and squash, played on a court one-third the size of a normal tennis court.

A planning statement submitted to Wakefield Council on behalf of the club said the facility would be on land currently used for overflow parking and not as a playing or training pitch.

The proposals include lighting columns around the courts, and a 4m (13ft) glass wall, as well as fencing, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

The document said the plan offered "an excellent opportunity to bring the land back into active sports use to support the rugby club".

It added: "The proposal will deliver a number of social benefits including improvement of general health and wellbeing [and] economic benefits to the rugby club."

Twenty-seven comments of support were submitted to the council to back the plans, and three objections.

A supporter said: "The site is a well established and respected sporting facility and the proposal would complement this without detracting from the character of the area."

The objections were from residents concerned over a potential increase in noise, with one saying the traffic in the area was "already extreme".

The Rugby Football Union also commented on the plans, saying: "As the club have stated that the area is not used for rugby union activity, the RFU does not believe the loss of playing field would adversely affect impact the rugby union activity on the site."

A Wakefield Council planning officer said: "The proposal has been assessed against national and local planning policies and guidance and is considered to be acceptable."

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