Brighton and Hove City Council will decide today on a contentious application from Dyke Park Tennis Club to install floodlights on three of its courts, as opinions among local residents remain divided.
While 13 objections have been submitted to the council, a significantly larger group of 41 supporters has voiced approval of the proposal, according to a report prepared for the council’s planning committee.
The club’s plan involves setting up 10 floodlights, each standing 26 feet (8 meters) tall, to illuminate the courts during darker months.
The club states that from mid-September to March, early sunsets prevent members with full-time jobs from playing after work, restricting many members’ court time to weekends.
The installation of floodlights, the club argues, would allow for expanded hours in the evenings and early mornings, making the courts more accessible to working members and potentially boosting club membership beyond its current 120 members.
WINTER COACHING
Additionally, the courts, which are available to the public on a pay-to-play basis, would be open to more local residents in the evenings, with the new lighting setup potentially enabling after-school tennis lessons and group coaching throughout the winter.
If approved, the floodlights would be used during weekday and weekend evenings until 9 p.m. and in the mornings from 7 a.m. during the winter.
The planning report recommends granting approval, noting that light pollution concerns have been addressed through the use of internal louvres designed to focus the light directly onto the courts.
Despite these assurances, some residents have voiced environmental and aesthetic concerns. Several objectors, whose names were redacted in council documents, have raised concerns about the impact on local wildlife, particularly bats that may be affected by the disruption of dark skies.
One resident commented, “Dark skies are a neglected issue. This has an impact on wildlife, particularly so close to open areas and parkland. It’s especially detrimental to nocturnal wildlife such as bats.”
WILDLIFE CONCERN
Residents of nearby Park Lodge apartments have also opposed the plan, echoing concerns about potential harm to wildlife and the effect of bright lights in a residential area.
Supporters, however, argue that the floodlights will provide significant benefits to the community. One backer, also unnamed in council records, said, “I am excited about the prospect of the extended playing time that the floodlit courts will provide.
It will be particularly positive for school kids who will be able to attend coached sessions over the winter months.”
Councillors are expected to review the report and make a decision at a meeting at Hove Town Hall later today. If approved, Dyke Park Tennis Club’s floodlight project could be a game-changer for local tennis enthusiasts, while some residents worry about its broader impact on the local environment.
UPDATE
Dyke Park was granted planning permission to out up 10 floodlights despite objections from neighbours after a unanimous vote by councillors.