Councillors approve Broughton padel courts despite refusal advice

Two new padel courts in Broughton have been approved despite planning officers recommending refusal.

Flintshire County Council’s Planning Committee green-lit the proposals from Chester and North Wales Golf Academy on Chester Road, Broughton to create two padel courts and two golf coaching bays alongside the existing site.

Padel is a racquet sport created in Mexico. Typically played in doubles the court is a third the size of a tennis court and has walls. The game has the the same scoring system as tennis but the ball can be played off the walls as in squash and serves must be at or below waist height.

Racquets are solid rather than strung, which has in more urban areas led to complaints about the noise level.

Planning officers recommended the application be refused due to the site being in the designated ‘green wedge’ and being considered ‘open countryside’.

Officers explained that both designations considered ‘openness’ a factor that warrants protection, adding that the open space was seen as preventing the coalescence of Broughton and Bretton with Saltney.

But councillors rejected their findings, arguing that the health benefits and the open-air nature of the sport made the golf centre an ideal location.

Broughton North East Cllr Billy Mullin, who is not a member of the committee but attended as a local elected member, said: “I do feel this application should be granted. It is environmentally friendly, has no pollution issues and fits in well with our policy on health and wellbeing.

“It is a opportunity for people to get active and to bring business to the east of the county and there have been no objections from consultees or the public.”

Saltney Ferry councillor Richard Lloyd added that with padel being the fastest growing sport in the world, this development could become a draw for players from other areas.

“Padel is an up and coming sport which is likely to be in the Olympics in 2032,” he said. “It is the fastest-growing sport in the world at the moment.

“The sport can be played by any age group so it is excellent for the health and wellbeing of all. There is a lack of sports facilities in this area of Flintshire and it would encourage tourism, as it is so popular and at present players have to travel to the Wirral to play.”

There is a sporting exemption in green wedge areas for sports considered to need wide open spaces – making golf an acceptable use.

But officers decided that padel did not meet he requirements for an exemption.

“It is suggested that the padel courts should be positioned in an urban area,” said Cllr Lloyd.

“In my opinion that is completely wrong as it can be noisy and has caused complains in other areas such as Sutton Coldfield where the noise is described as ‘like gunshots going off’.

“So there are exceptional circumstances why the padel courts should be allowed in the green wedge in my opinion.”

Buckley Pentrobin Cllr Mike Peers added: “Approval of this application provides benefits that outweighs and is not harmful to the green wedge.”

“The Future Generations Act says it all,” said Flint, Coleshill and Trewlawny Cllr Paul Cunningham. “We’ve got to do everything for our youth and for our older residents. I think it would be ideal and it has my full support.”

As per proposed conditions by Cllr Lloyd, opening times will be restricted to 7am-9pm on weekdays and 7am-7pm on weekends and bank holidays.

By Alec Doyle – Local Democracy Reporter