Weston Tennis Club
Our plans have now been approved by The West Area Planning Committee and details of the decision as set out in the minutes of that meeting are set out
below.
We would like to thank all the elected representatives who almost without exception have given Weston Tennis Club great support. Also we would like to thank virtually all our immediate neighbours who have been incredibly supportive and who have had the courage to make their views known. Thank you also to all the members who have shown how much they care about the club and turned out in force at the Planning Meeting. A special thanks to the juniors and parents who attended the meeting.
At the last AGM in November 2006 we reported the progress that had been made and that we were very hopeful that our target to have improved facilities in place by Autumn 2007 would be met. It was an essential part of our planning that we should have normal play throughout the Summer with the full use of existing floodlights based on the same conditions as the previous fifteen years. Unfortunately this was not to be the case because after a complaint from one neighbouring property an official of North Somerset Council decided our existing lighting constituted a statutory nuisance.
This action taken by the Council has been a huge stumbling block to progress with the The Club Development Project. Instead of being able to push ahead with the project, much time, effort and money had to be diverted to club survival. The lights were adjusted but this did not satisfy Council Officials. Abatement Notices were hand delivered to all Committee Members threatening fines upto £20,000.
At this stage the committee took stock of what the Weston community wanted. The immediate neighbours wanted the club to continue and to have floodlights. The feedback from the wider public was very positive. Our local MP gave the club excellent support and virually all local Councillors of all parties was supportive. It seemed that 99.9% were supportive but the 0.1% opposition had all the power.
Planning Application No. 07/P/0885/F installation of 6 No. 10 metre new floodlight columns with luminaries to courts 1,2,4 and 5 and 2 no.8 metre new floodlight columns and 1 no. training wall adjacent to court 3 at Weston Tennis Club, Neva road, Weston-super-Mare (Agender Item 5.3)
The Director of Development and Enviroment reported on an application for planning permission. The Committee was advised of any comments received after the dispatch of the agender and reports.
Members considered that the proposals were acceptable that noted the majority of the neighbours identified as being most directly affected, supported the application. Members also considered that the Tennis Club provided a much needed local facility and that the proposals should be supported.
It was agreed that suitable conditions should be agreed by the Vice-Chairman and Councillor Morris, as local ward members, in conjuction with the Director of Planning and Environment.
Resoloved: That Planning Application No. 07/P0885/F be approved subject to the following conditions:-
1. The develpment hereby committed shall be begun before the expiry of the three years from the date of this commision.
2. The floodlights hereby approved shall be turned off and not used after 22:00 hours and shall not be turned on before dusk or 18:00 hours, whichever is the earlier.
3. The floodlights and luminaries hereby approved shall be erected and thereafter retained in accordance with the approved details and the surface alluminance lighting levels (measured in lux) shall not exceed by more than 20% the lighting levels as shown on the approved surface alluminace contour plans (pages 15/23 and 16/23 of Weston Tennis Club Floodlighting Refurbishment document received on 11 July 2007) unless otherwise first agreed in writing by the local planning athority.
At our AGM in November 2007 we reported that there were delays in obtaining major funding from the LTA due to widespread changes taking place within their organization. We are now hopeful that we shall have our improved facilities in place by Autumn 2008.
We would like to thank all the elected representatives who almost without exception have given Weston Tennis Club great support. Also we would like to thank virtually all our immediate neighbours who have been incredibly supportive and who have had the courage to make their views known. Thank you also to all the members who have shown how much they care about the club and turned out in force at the Planning Meeting. A special thanks to the juniors and parents who attended the meeting.
At the last AGM in November 2006 we reported the progress that had been made and that we were very hopeful that our target to have improved facilities in place by Autumn 2007 would be met. It was an essential part of our planning that we should have normal play throughout the Summer with the full use of existing floodlights based on the same conditions as the previous fifteen years. Unfortunately this was not to be the case because after a complaint from one neighbouring property an official of North Somerset Council decided our existing lighting constituted a statutory nuisance.
This action taken by the Council has been a huge stumbling block to progress with the The Club Development Project. Instead of being able to push ahead with the project, much time, effort and money had to be diverted to club survival. The lights were adjusted but this did not satisfy Council Officials. Abatement Notices were hand delivered to all Committee Members threatening fines upto £20,000.
At this stage the committee took stock of what the Weston community wanted. The immediate neighbours wanted the club to continue and to have floodlights. The feedback from the wider public was very positive. Our local MP gave the club excellent support and virually all local Councillors of all parties was supportive. It seemed that 99.9% were supportive but the 0.1% opposition had all the power.
Planning Application No. 07/P/0885/F installation of 6 No. 10 metre new floodlight columns with luminaries to courts 1,2,4 and 5 and 2 no.8 metre new floodlight columns and 1 no. training wall adjacent to court 3 at Weston Tennis Club, Neva road, Weston-super-Mare (Agender Item 5.3)
The Director of Development and Enviroment reported on an application for planning permission. The Committee was advised of any comments received after the dispatch of the agender and reports.
Members considered that the proposals were acceptable that noted the majority of the neighbours identified as being most directly affected, supported the application. Members also considered that the Tennis Club provided a much needed local facility and that the proposals should be supported.
It was agreed that suitable conditions should be agreed by the Vice-Chairman and Councillor Morris, as local ward members, in conjuction with the Director of Planning and Environment.
Resoloved: That Planning Application No. 07/P0885/F be approved subject to the following conditions:-
1. The develpment hereby committed shall be begun before the expiry of the three years from the date of this commision.
2. The floodlights hereby approved shall be turned off and not used after 22:00 hours and shall not be turned on before dusk or 18:00 hours, whichever is the earlier.
3. The floodlights and luminaries hereby approved shall be erected and thereafter retained in accordance with the approved details and the surface alluminance lighting levels (measured in lux) shall not exceed by more than 20% the lighting levels as shown on the approved surface alluminace contour plans (pages 15/23 and 16/23 of Weston Tennis Club Floodlighting Refurbishment document received on 11 July 2007) unless otherwise first agreed in writing by the local planning athority.
At our AGM in November 2007 we reported that there were delays in obtaining major funding from the LTA due to widespread changes taking place within their organization. We are now hopeful that we shall have our improved facilities in place by Autumn 2008.
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