Plans get go-ahead to create new LED floodlights at Hartlepool tennis club to extend playing times

Proposals were submitted earlier this year to install floodlights to courts one and two at Hartlepool Lawn Tennis Club on Granville Avenue in the town.

The plans, submitted by Anthony Synott, have now been approved by council planning officers, with no objections received.

The proposals state the LED tennis floodlights will have a timer ensuring they only operate between 4pm and 10pm each day.

A design and access statement on behalf of the applicant said the proposals have been designed to provide no negative impact to the surrounding area.

It said: “The floodlighting design proposed has been optimised to minimise the impact on the landscape character in terms of the sensitivity of the area to the introduction of exterior lighting.

“The periods of floodlight use will extend the available playing time through the day.

“This should therefore also spread member attendance thus ‘thinning out’ the need for car parking at peak times.”

The plans also state the club will ‘endeavor to minimise congestion’ wherever possible and will provide mobile contact phone numbers to any resident on request where parking issues can be discussed and addressed or any concerns alleviated.

The tennis club site has five hard surface courts in total, meaning they can be played on all-year round if the weather permits.

A response from a Sports England spokesman backed the plans stating it will provide a boost to sporting facilities in the area and enable courts to be used on evenings in winter.

It said: “If players wished to play tennis during the dark winter months the nearest options would be in Stockton (David Lloyd) or Middlesbrough (Tennis World).

“This severely curtails the opportunities to play and train throughout the year.

“Given the absence of floodlit tennis provision in Hartlepool, Sport England is supportive of the club’s aspiration to secure floodlighting of its courts.”

They also added improvements in lighting technology means light spillage can now be significantly contained, which is ‘vital in this location’.

A report from council planning officer James Blythe confirmed the plans have been given the green light.

It said: “The principle of development has been established by the current use of the site (i.e. a sports facility used by Hartlepool Lawn Tennis Club).

“Furthermore, there have been no policy objections to the proposed development or any objections from Sport England.

“The application is considered on balance to be acceptable and is recommended for approval.”