Padel Court action group

Blackheath

A group created to manage objections to the proposed Padel Tennis construction complex on the Cator Estate.

latest news

June 6th

Application 25/0793/F has been withdrawn!

https://planning.royalgreenwich.gov.uk/online-applications/applicationDetails.do?activeTab=details&keyVal=_GRNW_DCAPR_123655

Huge thanks to everyone for their help.

We would hope any further applications are more sensible and more collaborative.

May 21st

Adrian and Martin attend a meeting with Savills and RBG. The meeting was very helpful and instructive; RBG have considerable sympathy for our case and Savills are aware of the issues with their application. Meeting notes can be found in Useful Files section below.

Thanks are due to Mariam Lolovar and Leo Fletcher, our local councillors.

May 16th

Support for the planning proposal surges from 12 to 222 in 48 hours (see chart below) with 456 objections. This looks as if a third party company is gathering support from people who live further away and then bulk entering their details on their behalf although we cannot be sure.

We strongly believe that (a) the quality of our objections is higher, and very well-reasoned in law and (b) this argument was never going to be won on numbers.

Getting the objections we did "means that the application would need to be referred to the Planning Committee if planning officers were to recommend the application for approval" according to the planning officer.

May 9th

RBG: 447-12, overwhelming evidence of the feeling towards this application as the time for feedback closes.

May 7th

"BCER has lodged an objection to the planning application for padel courts. The objection has been prepared by our planning consultants and is supported by legal opinion and an initial review of the acoustic information."

These are available in Useful Files below, the files start with "BCER..."

May 6th

Cover letter and expert reports submitted to Royal Borough of Greenwich planning officer. (See 'Padel Court Signed Letter' in Useful Files below.)

RBC website shows 329 objctions vs 11 supporting! Thank you everyone for your support as we approach the last day.

Almost 2,000 website views

Over 100 supporters signed up on email

May 4th

Request for Funds emails sent out and money starts to be transferred to PCAG.

May 2nd

Fundraising round one completes today. Over £20,000 pledged.

RBG Website 254 objections vs 11 supporting. Objections remain steadily above 95%.

April 30th

Website views reach 1,500

Second 6 page Mailshot to be posted to 150 nearest neighbours.

RBG Website: 239 vs 11

April 28th

RBG website shows 226 objections, 11 supporting

April 26th

Second funding request sent to residents (see below in Useful Files)

April 25th

BCER publish letter in opposition to the planned development (See Useful Files, below).

RBC shows 206 Objections, 9 Supporting

Successful conversation with BCER about cooperation going forward

April 24th

Traffic consultants appointed (See details of all service providers below)

April 23rd

Latest total shows 180 Objections and 7 Supporting the application

Three main service providers appointed (details in section below).

Pledged funding reaches £10,500

April 22nd

Funding request sent to residents who have shown an interest in supporting the objection. See below in 'Useful Files'.

April 22nd

RBG website reports 150 Objections and 5 Supporting, over 96% are against the proposal so far.

April 20th

Bank account created and funding process starts.

April 19th

First in-person meeting of concerned residents, hosted by Adrian Challinor

Engagement with accoustic consultant.

Pledged Funding reaches £8,500

April 18th

BCER Board email residents to announce they are taking specialist planning advice on the best course of action.

RBG website reports 87 objections and 3 supporting.

Website launched

April 17th

Pledged Funding reaches £5,500

April 14th

Martin Carr releases a short video showing how the planned application will impact the area. This is quickly shared over 400 times.

April 13th

Pledged Funding £2,250

April 12th

Royal Bourough of Greenwich website reaches 30 objections

April 10th

Martin Carr goes door to door informing neighbours of the plan to build a Padel Tennis complex at the end of Morden Road and Blackheath Park.

April 9th

Adrian Challinor spots the planning application and engages neightbours.

impact videoS

April 2025

https://vimeo.com/1075902222

May 2025

https://vimeo.com/1085365327

Please contact us for password:

blackheath.pcag@gmail.com

Padel Court action group

Padel Tennis Court Complex application

A planning application is in place to build a Padel Tennis Court Complex on the field at the corner of Morden Road and Blackheath Park.

THIS WILL NEGATIVELY IMPACT THE AREA IN MULTIPLE WAYS:

Increased noise (well above and beyond the original plans/usage of tennis court or bowls) Padel courts are well known for their very loud and intrusive noise. The Padel Magazine recommends that clubs in quiet areas should be located no less than 100m to local residents.

The Dutch tennis and padel association recommend that new padel courts be built no closer than 100 metres from residential buildings and should preferably be 160 metres away. The UK internet sites state that the sound generated can be 91dB, and not what has been put forward by the applicant's acoustic survey.

Light pollution: The entire complex will be floodlight, and the entire structure, including tents, is a full 10 meters high. Each court is 200 sq m and the clubhouse 450 sq m. A similar facility is located on Isle of Dogs, near Canary Wharf. Go and visit or see photos on https://padium.com. Compare the size of the steel and canvas tent-structures with the skyscrapers around them. Do not be misled by the drawings submitted with the application – they show faintly drawn structures. They will be huge in our residential area.

Significant change in the character of the area: Currently there are no such commercial properties on the Cator Estate, or indeed any.

Increased traffic: The application is for eight courts, open 17 hours a day from 6 am to 11 pm. The upkeep of the roads is a cost paid for by residents.

You can see the application here:

https://planning.royalgreenwich.gov.uk/online-applications/

Number: 25/0793/F

Description: Creation of a padel tennis facility with the erection of a new clubhouse; associated works including parking and landscaping. | FORMER TENNIS CLUB, BLACKHEATH PARK, BLACKHEATH, SE3 0HB

Please register your views. The initial deadline of the 7th of May has been extended due to the complexity of the application and the number of objections.