Plans for sports courts in former potato shed require planning permission, applicant told
The owners of a farm hoping to convert one of their sheds into two pickleball courts have been told planning permission is required.
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Pickleball Central UK Ltd, based at Lower Cound Farm, applied for a change of use for one of their agricultural sheds last month.
The company is currently hosting pickleball games on badminton courts in Shrewsbury, and the applicants hoped that the former potato storage shed would help provide all-year-round practice to pickleball players.
The application stated that the work would involve smoothing out the existing concrete floor and painting the surface, while no external building works would be necessary.
It added: "The business already exists as 'Pickleball Central Ltd' who currently are registered at the farm but have to hire badminton courts in Shrewsbury.
"The Shrewsbury Sports Council are aware that there are little available sporting venues available, so allowing this change of use would be a small step in allowing extra sporting provision to the existing and growing business by giving a 'headquarters' where a handful of clients can be coached in this new sport, enable practice all year round as essential preparation for members to be able to train sufficiently for international tournaments.
"There will be no impact on the existing agricultural activities of this arable farm. It is merely making use of the shed that is now redundant in use and will provide an essential part-time income on site for the owner of Pickleball Central Ltd, who resides also at the farm."
But Shropshire Council's planning department has informed the applicant that a change of use application is not appropriate - and planning permission would be required.
The decision notice, which was issued last week, states: "The site area of the proposed development exceeds 500m2 and does not meet the criteria set out in the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (England) Order 2015 (as amended), Schedule 2, Part 3, Class R.
"Planning permission is therefore required."
Pickleball is a sport that has been growing in popularity over recent years - combining elements of badminton, tennis, and table tennis. Played both indoors or outdoors on a badminton-sized court and a slightly modified tennis net, two or four players use solid paddles to hit a perforated polymer ball, over a net.
