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Floodlighting and three-metre fence approved for Impington Sports Centre netball courts after mixed views




Floodlighting and an acoustic fence will be put up at the netball courts at Impington Sports Centre, after councillors debated the mixed response to the plans.

There were 64 objections lodged and 53 comments made in support.

Netball courts at Impington Sports Centre. Picture: Google
Netball courts at Impington Sports Centre. Picture: Google

Concerns were voiced that light pollution and noise could impact the health of its neighbours. But supporters said upgrading the facilities would create a community asset that “supports women, young and older people to access sports”.

The netball courts were “condemned for match play and league use” in 2018 because of the state of the surface, which is due to be replaced with the aid of a £53,000 South Cambridgeshire District Council grant, approved in September.

The application for floodlights and a three-metre acoustic fence was submitted to the district council to enable more use of the courts.

Similar plans were approved in 2020, but the work never took place due to the impact of the pandemic so the planning permission lapsed.

At a planning committee meeting last Wednesday (11 December), Becky Churms, commercial manager at ELA Active Ltd, said the sports centre had previously hosted a number of netball leagues and clubs, with the courts also used by schools.

Since the courts were condemned, some leagues and clubs had been forced to relocate or close.

Ms Churms said: “Subsequently, both the adult and junior sections of the netball club now have lengthy waiting lists with women and girls across the area unable to play the sport they love due to the lack of facilities.”

But some neighbours also objected that the upgrade and other planned work at the sport centre could lead to over-development and create more traffic problems.

Kathryn Benson, from New Road, was concerned about the number of applications and plans coming forward for the sports centre.

Impington Sports Centre. Picture: Google
Impington Sports Centre. Picture: Google

She was worried about the character of the area and the number of people travelling to and from the site.

She called for a masterplan, as she felt the work did not “appear to be joined up”.

Planning officers said councillors needed to focus on the application before them.

Addressing concerns about light pollution, they explained that the design meant the light would not go backwards and would be focused on the courts.

They presented an assessment that concluded nearby homes would not be impacted by light spillage.

Cllr Dr Tumi Hawkins (Lib Dem, Caldecote) noted that the earlier planning permission established the principle of floodlights and an acoustic fence and pointed out that any issues caused by lighting or noise would be a statutory nuisance, meaning a formal notice could be served to ensure the problem was addressed.

She said: “The concerns that the residents of Park Drive have are not being ignored. What we are saying is even if it is granted that does not mean if there is a problem in the future it can not be mitigated or corrected.”

Cllr Dr Richard Williams (Con, Whittlesford) said this was a “difficult” decision as he understood the concerns of neighbours. He recognised the study on light spillage but did “not quite accept the evidence we have got”.

Cllr Heather Williams (Con, The Mordens) asked for a condition requiring the floodlights to be turned off when the courts were not in use.

She said people might “put up” with the floodlights to allow for people to play sport, but said it would “rub salt in the wound” if they were on when the courts were not being used.

Councillors agreed to add this as a requirement and a majority of councillors approved the application.




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