A tennis club near Bath is looking to build its own pavilion as members are fed up with sharing limited clubhouse facilities with the local football team.
Freshford & District Tennis Club has submitted plans to Bath & North East Somerset Council for a building at the site it shares with Freshford United Football Club at Abbey Lane.
The planning application says the arrangement to date has been for tennis club members to share the football club facilities at Abbey Lane.
“However, the football club have continued to expand its membership and, between football games and training, the cleaning and general presentation of the premises has been very poor.
“They are increasingly not in a fit condition for use by tennis players, particularly, during the winter months.
“Also, the tennis club membership has increased and use of the toilets in the football club, given the security the football club requires for the premises, has become a real issue.
“So much so that only about 10% of the tennis club members are allowed to use the football clubhouse. The tennis club has a shelter on the southern side of the courts, but this provides no other facility than shelter.”
The proposed site of the new pavilion is on the east side of Abbey Lane.
The site is in the Green Belt and Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
The application says the proposals will provide “much-needed facilities” to improve viability and opportunity to increase membership of the tennis club, as well as supply the essential facilities such as toilets, washroom, first aid and club management for training and administration.
The pavilion will be “environmentally sustainable” and set low for minimal visual impact.
The planning reference is 25/04829/FUL and the deadline for comments is 5th February.
