Latest news with #planningrow
Telegraph
5 days ago
- Sport
- Telegraph
Wimbledon winner's former tennis club rips up courts for padel
A tennis club that helped produce Britain's most successful female player is locked in a planning row over the installation of padel courts. Tunbridge Wells Lawn Tennis Club (TWLTC), where Virginia Wade once won the ladies' club championship, has faced a backlash after lodging an application to build three padel courts. The Kent club has 21 tennis courts – eight grass, nine artificial clay and four tarmac. But the plans would see two replaced with the padel courts. Locals have raised concerns about the impact the courts would have on 'the club's beautiful surroundings', comparing the sound of padel players to 'gunshots'. One resident, Charlotte Lawson, said: 'Noise levels will be loud causing significant disturbance to residents and members from early in the morning to late at night with the sound described as constant 'gunshots' producing an average noise level of 60 decibels each time the ball hits the glass walls of the courts or solid plastic racquets.' She warned that the tennis players' concentration and enjoyment will be 'significantly compromised.' The local also expressed concerns over traffic, parking and light pollution, as the padel courts would be open seven days a week - between 7am and 10pm on weekdays and 8am to 8pm on weekends. The club, founded in 1898, consisted of a cricket pitch, athletic track, football ground, six tennis courts and some croquet pitches. One of its most famous members, Virginia Wade, was the winner of the Club Closed Ladies' Singles title and went on to win Wimbledon in 1977. Commenting on the controversy herself, Wade told The Telegraph: 'I guess you have to go with the flow and current fad. As long as tennis survives. It [padel] seems to be having some strength in the UK. With today's rackets, it's a much easier game to start.' Stephen Hutt, a member and local resident, added: 'My peaceful residence will have the sound of constant 'gun' shots ricocheting around.' He expressed worry for his family dog who 'is petrified of bangs and requires anxiety medication around bonfire night and cannot go on country walks when there is any form of audible shooting. 'This proposal will make her and our enjoyment of our garden untenable it will have a devastating impact on our life.' However, not all locals are opposed. Resident Susan Bourne wrote: 'We fully support this planning application. The nearest place currently to play padel is Tonbridge.' She added that the new courts would 'reduce the use of cars and general traffic in and out of the town aiding the council's environmental initiatives'. The design and access statement submitted to the council states there is a 'clear gap in the market' in the town due to the popularity of tennis. Tunbridge Wells Borough Council will decide on the application at a later date.
Telegraph
30-06-2025
- Business
- Telegraph
Rayner refuses to save historic beer garden
Angela Rayner has refused to intervene in a planning row to save a historic London pub's beer garden. The Communities Secretary has been urged to use her ministerial powers to overrule a Labour council after it ordered the Trafalgar Tavern in Greenwich to remove roughly half its outdoor seating. But rather than calling in the decision, which would allow her to reverse it, she is expected to let a planning inspector deal with the pub's appeal on her behalf. The Tories accused Labour of failing to 'practice what they preach', having made 'a big song and dance about slashing red tape to protect pubs'. The outdoor area at the Trafalgar Tavern, by the River Thames, has regularly been named one of the best in Britain. It is now under threat after the Royal Borough of Greenwich ordered the pub to stop using part of the land for drinking and dining. The tavern has warned that the move could lead to dozens of job losses and appealed to the Planning Inspectorate, a government agency, which is expected to report back by October. Most planning appeals are decided by inspectors without the need for ministerial sign-off. However, as Communities Secretary, Ms Rayner can demand a final say in certain circumstances, including where proposals give rise to 'substantial regional or national controversy'. When this happens, planning inspectors review the case and make a recommendation to the Secretary of State, who makes the decision. This month, the Tories asked if Ms Rayner would use her ministerial powers to call in the Trafalgar Tavern appeal. In response, Jim McMahon, the minister for local government, said it was 'likely' that the decision would be issued 'on behalf of the Secretary of State', meaning that Ms Rayner would not be involved. Kevin Hollinrake, the shadow communities secretary, said: 'Angela Rayner could save this pub from overzealous planning inspectors, but she's actively choosing not to. 'Labour has made a big song and dance about slashing red tape to protect pubs, but it's clear they don't practice what they preach. Business rates, the Employment Bill and the jobs tax are all set to push pubs across the country to extinction. 'If Labour are unwilling to back down in their war on the local, Rayner should at least step in to save this one.' It is understood Ms Rayner could still choose to overrule the council as she is able to call in the appeal at any point before the Planning Inspectorate makes its decision. If a request was made to call it in, the department would consider it. It is unclear whether this would need to be done through any specific formal channel. In April, the Government claimed to have called 'last orders' on 'red tape choking pubs' as it vowed to back 'the British night out'. A joint press release from Ms Rayner, Rachel Reeves, the Chancellor, and Jonathan Reynolds, the Business Secretary, said the Mayor of London would be 'armed with new powers to review blocked licensing applications and boost the capital's night-time economy'. At the time, Ms Rayner said: 'Our pubs, restaurants, and live music venues are the beating heart of our cultural life, so it is vital they are given every chance to survive and thrive. Too often, we have seen the complaints of a vocal minority of objectors promoted over the need for our country to grow – we are determined to change this.' The Trafalgar Tavern, which opened in 1837 and was once a favourite spot of Charles Dickens, serves customers on traditional wooden benches along the Thames Path, a narrow walkway on the bank of the river. It uses a cobbled section of the path, known as 'the ramp and the knuckle', after receiving permission to put out tables and chairs in the daytime in 2005. But in March, the council issued an enforcement notice ordering the pub to stop using the land for drinking and dining and to remove all seating, umbrellas and tables. In the notice, it said there had been 'a material change of use' of the area without planning permission. A council spokesman confirmed that there had been 'some complaints' about the seating and stressed the importance of accessibility for 'people in wheelchairs, the elderly, or people with pushchairs'.
BBC News
18-06-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Maker Heights at centre of Cornish heritage site planning row
A Cornish heritage site which has become a hub for musicians, artists and makers is at the centre of a planning row.A private company has submitted plans to change the use of one of the historic buildings at Maker Heights on the Rame Peninsula to residential and commercial use, but opponents fear it could set a precedent for second Places, which filed the part-retrospective planning application to turn The Straw Store into residential use, said it would help with the financial upkeep of the application has received about 30 letters of opposition from residents, with one saying Maker Heights was "not a suitable place for permanent residential development." 'Significant potential' The former military site contains five scheduled monuments, 17 Grade II* listed buildings and is situated in the protected Rame Head area of the Cornwall National Landscape, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS). A number of outbuildings on the site are already owned and managed by Evolving Places, including The Straw Store, which has been used as a holiday a supporting statement to Cornwall Council, Evolving Places said it had invested "a significant amount of money in the fabric of the site, clearing, maintaining, restoring and caring for the buildings, land and monuments".It said The Straw Store had "significant potential to deliver some much-needed income".The planning statement added the elements owned by Evolving Places "desperately need a significant injection of capital to stand any chance of bringing any more buildings back to life".It said: "Supporting this application will help reduce the conservation deficit and in turn reduce the pressure for enabling development." 'Wholly unsuitable' One of the opponents to the plan said Maker Heights was one of the "last remaining heritage landscapes" on the said: "Generations of families – mine included – have enjoyed this place for over four generations."The proposed plan threatens to take that away, replacing a shared community resource with private dwellings."The Rame Conservation Trust (RCT), which was formed in 1997 to protect and promote the heritage assets at Maker Heights for public benefit, said it was concerned "The Straw Store would be sold as a private residential dwelling".The RCT said: "From a heritage perspective, we would also maintain that this location is wholly unsuitable for residential use, likely to permanently change the visual and historic character of the courtyard.""We would, however, support continued use as a studio – it has recently been used as a wellbeing space," it added.
The Sun
09-05-2025
- The Sun
Sycamore Gap thug ‘chopped down famous tree in bitter revenge battle after facing eviction from ramshackle home'
SYCAMORE GAP brute Daniel Graham chopped down the iconic tree when he was facing eviction from his ramshackle home in a bitter planning row. Neighbours had accused him of destroying the countryside after he turned a field into an 'illegal builder's yard' and plonked a static caravan in it. 11 11 11 The thug bullied and threatened planners and neighbours and was left seething with rage when the council rejected his application to live in the caravan in the shadow of Hadrian's Wall. And locals reckon he dreamt up a plan to take revenge by targeting the tree. One said: 'It's what everyone around here was saying and it makes perfect sense. 'He considered that caravan his permanent home and had asked the council to legally recognise that. 'When they refused the only way it could ever have ended for him was being evicted. 'He's a tree surgeon, he cuts trees down all the time – what better way, in his eyes, for him to take revenge?' Graham, 39, was today convicted of two counts of criminal damage alongside his former friend Adam Carruthers. He had moved into the static caravan in the village of Grinsdale, near Carlisle, Cumbria in 2016. In October 2022 he applied to Cumberland Council for permission to live there lawfully even though he had never sought planning permission. Neighbours objected and the local parish council said people felt threatened by his "dominant and oppressive behaviour'. His application was rejected in April, 2023, and five months later he chopped down the iconic tree together with Adam Carruthers, 32. He later appealed to the planning inspectorate in a last-gasp bid to avoid eviction, but on April 28, the day before his trial began, the appeal was rejected. He has been given six months to find somewhere else to live but he is soon likely to behind bars when he is sentenced on July 15. 11 11 11 Only child Graham, 39, grew up in Carlisle, Cumbria, in a family ripped apart by rows and tragedy. His parents Michael and Karen split up years ago and she moved out, leading to a permanent estrangement between her and her son. He remained close to his dad and they would go shooting and fishing together. But he was left heartbroken when his father committed suicide in 2021. That tragedy triggered yet another long-term family bust-up which erupted on the day of his funeral – between Graham and his gran Joan Graham, 85. A family friend said: 'They had this weird disagreement over who had found Michael. 'They both claimed to have been the one to do so. 'They were shouting at each other at the crematorium so it wasn't as if it was the end of the wake when they might have had a drink. 'The row was so bitter she later burnt all his photographs. 'Joan is scared to say anything publicly because she fears that he could be violent and might take revenge against her.' The pair haven't spoken since that day – other than to swap insults if they ever saw each other in the street. After his dad died, loner Graham had few friends and a dysfunctional relationship with an on-off girlfriend. He admitted in court that Carruthers was his only mate and said: "I don't go out, I don't do very much, you could say I'm antisocial, I don't have much time for people." Just days before his trial was due to begin last year, Graham posted a plea of innocence on his Facebook page. He said: 'I did not cut down the sycamore gap I did not do it I hope that the justice system sees what's true and clears my name this is the honest truth yes somebody borrowed my jeep meny (sic) people did I will led anyone anything but this is something I truly would not do it's my picture everywhere well here's a picture of the man with hidden face.' That was posted at 1.02pm on Sunday, December 1, and 90 minutes later paramedics and cops raced to his home due to a medical emergency after a pal found him seriously ill. He was rushed to hospital and was later said to be in a critical but stable condition. The incident delayed his trial at Newcastle alongside Carruthers until last month. Dad-of-two Carruthers was brought up by parents Terry and Christine in Wigton, Cumbria. Neighbours described him as an 'idiot' who got the sack from his first job as an apprentice at a local factory. Instead of going to college on a day release course he would spend the time doing up cars on the side. A neighbour said: "He had quite a good job as an apprentice but they let him go when they found out he was working on cars for people instead of going to college, "Since then he's drifted around and ended up doing ground works with this character he met. 'When he was younger he had this mobility scooter – which he obviously didn't need but which he used to ride around in the street.' 11 11 11
Daily Mail
06-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Doc Martin star Martin Clunes insists 'hippie' neighbours are 'not travellers' amid acrimonious planning row near his country home
Actor Martin Clunes has insisted his 'hippie' neighbours are not travellers in the latest stage of an acrimonious planning row centering on land just 300 yards away from the £5 million farmhouse he shares with wife Phillipa Braithwaite. The Doc Martin and Men Behaving Badly star has fought a long-running battle to try and stop New Age Travellers Theo Langton and Ruth McGill from turning their woodland plot and caravan into an official travellers site. The couple have lived in the 45ft by 16ft mobile home on a temporarily rolling licence near Beaminster, Dorset, for more than 20 years. They have applied for planning permission for continued use of land as a private residential traveller site for 'sole use of the applicants and family.' But Clunes has hit out at the pair for claiming they are travellers based on 'the way they dress' and 'going to certain types of music festivals.' The couple's plans include use of the erected barn as a dayroom, workshop and store, one mobile home, a touring caravan and a mobile van. Clunes had claimed that the current residence did not meet the definition of a mobile home - and described the neighbour's attempts to classify it as one was 'cynical' and 'dishonest.' A decision on the application that was due to be made at a council meeting last month was postponed after flooding fears were raised. Fresh representations have now been made by Clunes on the council's planning portal where he questions their legitimacy as travellers. The couple previously relied on evidence showing them as travelling to various festivals throughout the summer months in order to sustain their livelihood. Clunes wrote: '(They) cannot claim they are travellers because of the way they project themselves either by the way they dress, or living on a site without basic amenities or the company they keep, or because they travel to certain types of music festivals. 'It cannot be concluded that the applicants are persons of nomadic habit of life due to them visiting music and other festivals each year to sell items and help set them up.' Clunes added: 'The decision must rest on planning law and policy - not emotion or popularity of an applicant. 'The applicants are locally well-liked and they and their site may give the appearance of a New Age lifestyle, but that does not entitle them to special treatment as they do not meet the legal definition of a gypsy or traveller. 'The applicants travel to festivals as do many other people. They have a stall at festivals and sell items made by them. No evidence more than this is submitted for it to be able to be concluded that it supports their livelihood. 'Many stallholders travel from festival to festival and roadies set up the stage and equipment, all travelling each summer from festival to festival or fayre. 'They are not classed as travellers, New Age or otherwise. The applicants travel to Portugal and Spain by road each summer. So do many others who are not Travellers. 'It cannot be concluded that the applicants are persons of nomadic habit of life due to them visiting music and other festivals each year to sell items and help set them up. 'This would mean that many, if not all stallholders at such festivals as well as the roadies who travel with the festival organisers, retailers and bands would be classed as gypsies and travellers within the planning definition, which clearly is not the case.' Clunes added that from his view there were now only two ways forward - to refuse permission and consider enforcement, allowing time to relocate, or to grant a temporary permission. He argued this should only be if it was made clear it 'the applicants must actively seek an alternative site, starting now.' He added: 'The onus is on the applicants to comply with policy - not the council to make exceptions.' In his submission, Clunes added: 'There is evidence not only of a precedent being set but the beginnings of a New Age Traveller commune growing up on and around the application site. 'Friends of the applicants have bought the field opposite the Meerhay Manor, have applied for planning permission to start growing vegetables in large polytunnels and have applied to live on site in a shepherds hut. 'There is no doubt that if permanent planning permission is granted then others will copy the approach of the applicants to obtain a planning permission which will be difficult for the Council to resist. 'None of the conclusions to which the officers give weight to outweigh the harm identified or stand up to scrutiny. Further, the assessment of harm which is caused by the proposed development has been inadequately considered and is grossly understated.' Planning officers at Dorset Council had earlier recommended to grant approval for the proposal but the case was pulled from the agenda last month after a last-minute letter from Clunes' lawyers. A two-year legal battle has since ensued with the application again pulled from the agenda of a meeting last month where it had again been recommended for approval. Dorset Council said of the delay: 'This is because a matter has come to the attention of officers since the publication of the agenda which will require further consideration. 'The matter relates to surface water flooding and will need to be considered before the application can be reported to committee. 'The application will be reported back to committee as soon as possible.' In his report that was due to go to the committee, planning official Bob Burden said: 'The location is considered to be relatively sustainable and the proposal is acceptable in its design and general visual impact. 'There is not considered to be any significant harm to neighbouring residential amenity. 'There are no material considerations which would warrant refusal of this application.' The Clunes' bought 130-acre Meerhay Farm near Beaminster, Dorset, from Mr Langton's mother, the landscape gardener Georgia Langton, in 2007. The land at the heart of the planning row is around 300 yards from the £5m farmhouse where Clunes lives with wife Philippa Braithwaite.
