Commissioners have withdrawn a planning application to create padel courts at Onchan Park.

Onchan District Commissioners, who own the courts on Belgravia Road, entered into an agreement to lease a number of their tennis courts to Padel Tennis Isle of Man Ltd.

In March, the local authority submitted plans to provide the courts at the park which it, said, would ‘breath’ new life into a substantially under-utilised existing community facility’.

In the design statement, the applicant says: ‘The existing tennis courts are under-utilised, partly due to the lack of investment in the playing facilities.

‘If the proposed development is approved and constructed, the commissioners propose to enhance the remaining adjacent tennis courts to continue to provide tennis for members of the public and patrons of Onchan Pleasure Park.’

Padel tennis is the fastest growing sport in Europe and is suitable for families who are looking for a sport to play together.

The applicant says: ‘Padel Tennis Isle of Man Ltd intends to create a very high quality facility that will include the complete resurfacing of the existing tennis courts and adjacent areas as well as the installation of the court enclosures.’

In addition to the courts, the plans will include a respite area with a seating facility which the applicant says will further promote the social and community aspects of the facility.

The intention is to have the courts available for play from 7am to 10pm, to accommodate players wishing to play before or after work.

The applicant concludes by saying: ‘The proposed facility would be a substantial asset to both Onchan and the wider Manx community.

‘The proposed use for Padel tennis is, in all relevant aspects, identical to the courts’ current use, so it is considered there would be no detriment in creating the facility but, rather, it would be a substantial improvement to the area.’

However, after the application was submitted, there were objections from residents concerned about the noise made by the padel players, the increase in traffic and lack of parking.

The issue was also taken up by local MHK Julie Edge who raised concerns over a lack of consultation with residents.

She also expressed her surprise the application submitted by the commissioners was not their own scheme but proposed a private developer using commissioners’ land.

In a letter submitted to planners, she said: ‘I was concerned to establish that it was not a commissioners improvement project for the park but a private developer application they were applying for planning for.

‘I feel in itself this could be a breach of planning fee regulations, but understand this could have been an oversight or misunderstanding on planning fees with the commissioners supporting the project, however

‘It’s misleading to the Public that it implies it was an Onchan Commissioners project.’

The growing opposition to the plans has led to the commissioners, in April, asking for the application to be deferred so they could address the concerns and meet those opposed to the application.

However, this week the local authority wrote to planners asking for the application to be withdrawn which has now been rubberstamped.