Application refused for under-threat padel court

An application for retrospective planning permission for a padel court has been refused.

It was installed to replace a tennis court at The Retreat at Elcot Park - a hotel in Newbury, Berkshire - in November 2025.

A West Berkshire Council planning meeting heard concerns had been raised about the noise impact on neighbours and lack of nearby bus stop, while supporters said it had 1,500 registered players and was beneficial to people's health and social lives.

Edward Hopkins, who organised an event in support of the court, said the decision taken on Wednesday was "incredibly disappointing".

The committee was told that during the consultation period, there were 67 representations online regarding the application - 64 in support and three in objection.

During the meeting, seven councillors voted in favour of the refusal, one voted against and there was one abstention.

But councillor Martin Colston said: "We should have had an application before it happened and then all of this could have been dealt with before it happened rather than where we are now, where we've had neighbours who've had to suffer for a year," he said.

Councillor Paul Dick said the committee hoped to see "a better prepared" application soon.

The hotel's manager Ed Lyle they were "disappointed with the outcome" but they "respect" it.

"It was a really helpful meeting because we've learned things that we can take away and prepare to improve our application," he said.

In the meantime, he said it was "padel as usual" and they were working with planners to either appeal the decision or potentially submit a new application.

Speaking to the BBC after the meeting, Hopkins, who supported the application, said councillors had "failed to understand the public good that the court offers".

"We're talking about hundreds of children in particular who get a huge amount of exercise and fun and activity out of the court and the court also gives up a huge amount of free time to a local charity for disabled children.

"It's a completely bizarre decision to not allow it to go ahead."

He said there were "lots of solutions that can be offered", such as a noise blocking membrane, but the councillors "didn't seem to believe that was possible".

The council acknowledged the "recreational and economic benefits" of the application but said they had been "outweighed by concerns".

"The committee was not satisfied that sufficient evidence had been provided to demonstrate that noise could be adequately mitigated or that the local highway network could safely accommodate the additional traffic generated by the development."

On Tuesday, supporters gathered at the the court in an attempt to break the world record for the most people to stand simultaneously on a padel court.