Smashing news lights up town tennis club
IT was third time lucky for a Farnborough tennis club, as plans to install floodlights around its courts were finally approved.
Farnborough Lawn Tennis Club, based in Tile Barn Close, had permission granted last September to extend its clubhouse and car park, but failed twice in bids to erect floodlights around two courts as the finishing touch.
An application for eight floodights was withdrawn at the last minute in January, after the club’s first bid was rejected due to the impact the lights would have had on neighbours.
However, a third set of plans for four six-metre high floodlights around court 2, submitted on May 20, were approved at last Wednesday’s development management committee at Rushmoor Borough Council.
The latest application was thought to better reflect the club’s modernisation efforts, following a £50,000 grant from Sport England towards the site expansion.
Speaking at the meeting, club chairman David Hewitt said: “We’ve been on that site for nearly 40 years now and this is an upgrade.” There are already floodlights around courts 3 and 4.
Councillor Peter Crerar stressed that the plans should be followed to the letter if approved, pointing to the example of St Joseph’s School in Aldershot, where light columns standing at double the permitted height were erected and eventually allowed to stay despite complaints by neighbours who said their gardens were illuminated in the evenings.
The previous application for lights were rejected due to the effect it would have had on properties in nearby Vienna Court and Vesey Close. An appeal against the refusal also proved unsuccessful.
“If I were supporting this application, I would want to be assured that none of the adjacent properties will be affected,” Cllr Crerar said.
“As long as it does not affect the adjacent properties and it’s built exactly to the specifications I would support it.”
The one kilowatt floodlights will be allowed to operate between 6pm and 10pm.
Members therefore followed the recommendation to grant the club’s wish at long last.
With the meeting held just days after the end of Wimbledon, Cllr Gareth Lyon, chairman of the committee, said he hoped the Farnborough development would result in improved fortunes for homegrown players in future years.