In A Pickle: Withdean Residents Fear Noisy New Court

Pickleball’s growing popularity prompted worried neighbours of a sports complex to object to plans for a new multi-use games area (MUGA).

A temporary padel court has already been moved from the long-established games area after neighbours complained, with one saying that it was “like being under constant gunfire”.

Brighton and Hove City Council, which owns the site, at the Withdean Sports Complex, even served a noise abatement order on its contractor Freedom Leisure.#

Now, the council’s Planning Committee has voted unanimously in favour of granting planning permission for a multi-use games area in the same place, with pickleball among the potential sports there.

The plans include resurfacing the court, putting up new floodlights and replacing the existing 9ft (2.7m) high link fence with a 10ft high “duo 8” mesh fence.

There will also be a storage container and markings for netball, basketball and tennis as well as the increasingly popular pickleball in an area that is already used for outdoor sports.

Neighbours were divided over the plans, with 15 objecting and 16 in support.

One resident, Simon Farncombe, said that the area was hardly used until it previously became a padel court.

He said that neighbours had endured 29 months of noise nuisance and that lessons must be learnt.

Mr Farncombe said:

“The visual impact of this development, including the shipping container, will allow and promote intensive use of the MUGA – a significant increase and more noise than previously.

“We had one padel court and there’s now provisionally four pickle courts. It’s essential that consideration is given to managing the noise impact from day one.”

Sports facilities manager Kerry Taylor said that the council planned to improve leisure facilities across Brighton and Hove.

She said:

“This multi-use games area or MUGA at Withdean Sports Complex is an existing fenced sports court that is in dire need of improvement.

“As a council asset, improvements are needed to the facility so it is safe and suitable to use as well as ensuring it provides accessible sporting opportunities for the residents of Brighton and Hove.”

She told the committee that the site would not just be used for pickleball because there was also demand for netball and tennis.

Conservative councillor Carol Theobald said:

“This is an improvement to have a variety of sports and something new like pickleball.”

She said that, given the existing use as a multi-purpose sports court, it would be hard legally to justify a vote against the plans.

Green councillor Raphael Hill said:

“It’s important to recognise that pickleball tends to be a loud sport. We should be cognisant of the impact of that sport but I will be voting in favour.”

Labour councillor Joy Robinson said:

“I do understand the residents’ concerns, particularly given the experience they went through when it was a padel court.

“Surely, Freedom Leisure and our sports team have learnt some lessons from that and will do as much as they can to limit the noise from pickleball and work closely with the residents.”

The planning application was approved yesterday (Wednesday 5 February) in a meeting at Hove Town Hall.

The Planning Committee formally asked for a noise impact assessment in the event of complaints about noise.