Agenda item

Change of use of an existing industrial unit (Use Class B2) to an indoor padel sports centre (Use Class D2) and associated works

 

LOCAL MEMBER: Councillor Gareth A Roberts

 

Link to relevant background documents

 

DECISION: To approve the application subject to material planning conditions relating to:

1.               Time

2.               Compliance with the plans

3.    Permitted use of the unit as a Pickleball / Padel Sports Centre only and not for any other purpose

4.    The flood mitigation measures recommended in parts 7.29 - 7.34 of the Planning Statement must be followed.

5.    Opening Hours: 07:00 to 23:00 daily

6.    The development approved through this will be held in accordance with the noise impact assessment, prepared by ES Acoustics - Noise Impact Assessment for a Proposed Padel Tennis and Pickleball Facility S3, Caernarfon Road, Bangor LL57 4SP Report Reference 22236.NIA-RPT.01. Rev A, dated 29 October 2025. Noise should not exceed the levels anticipated in Table 10 of the NIA.

7.    ⁠Within 3 months of the site becoming operational, a noise survey will be undertaken by a suitably qualified acoustic adviser, in accordance with the NIA, and a report submitted to the Local Planning Authority and approved by them in writing. The report will provide information about the measured sound emitted from the site on 1.0m of the façade of the residential receptors identified in Maes Berea, Pen y Wern, Cilcoed and Bryn Llwyd. Should it be discovered that the operating noise is louder than the lowest background noise levels, or there are noise levels from the external mechanical equipment with a higher score than the external condition above, a detailed noise mitigation plan should be submitted to the Local Planning Authority to be approved in writing. Any mitigation plan will be implemented within 3 months of the date of the written approval in accordance with the approved details, and will be kept in accordance with those details afterwards.

8.    Working Hours

9.    Details of any external equipment installed on the building must be submitted.

10.  A Site Management Plan must be submitted and approved, including a mechanism to deal with complaints from members of the public.

11. Operate in accordance with the Green Infrastructure Statement.

 

12. Ensure Welsh / Bilingual signs

Notes

     Welsh Water

 

Denis Ferranti Meters, Caernarfon Road, Bangor, Gwynedd, LL57 4SP
 

Change of use of an existing industrial unit (B2 Use Class) into an indoor padel sports centre (D2 Use Class) and associated work

 

a)     The Senior Planning Officer highlighted that this was an application to convert an existing unit within the former Denis Ferranti factory site in Bangor into an indoor padel play facility. The proposal would change the use of the unit into a padel sports centre, creating 8 padel courts, 2 pickleball courts, a warm-up zone, a reception and toilets, as well as a facility to park bikes. Furthermore, existing parking provision within the site would be specifically allocated and used, earmarking 36 parking spaces to the proposed use. The plan was to open the facility for use between 07:00 and 23:00, every day of the week.

 

It was explained that the site was described as a warehouse unit located centrally within a wider estate located within the Bangor Sub-regional Centre Development Boundary but outside the City Centre and the defined Main Shopping Area. It was reiterated that the Flood Maps indicated that the site was located in Flood Zone 3 (Rivers and Surface Water) associated with the Afon Adda that runs through a nearby culvert.

 

It was reported that the entire site was surrounded by a mixture of residential and commercial uses whilst the application site itself was located within an existing unit. As part of the application, specialist information had been submitted which included:

 

·        A Planning Statement (including a Welsh Language Assessment)

·        Impact Assessment

·        Retail Impact Assessment

·        Noise Assessment (as well as an update in response to the Public Protection Service's observations)

·        Energy Statement

·        Transport Statement

·        Green Infrastructure Statement

·        Social Impact Statement

 

The application was submitted to the Committee for a decision as the area of the proposed development was larger than what could be considered by officers under the delegated procedure. A full assessment had been completed of all the relevant matters, including compliance with policies as well as the observations received.

 

Reference was made to the Public Protection Service's response to the application, which highlighted concern regarding the noise deriving from the site. An acoustic expert had responded on behalf of the applicants, presenting a further explanation to the matters raised by the Service. Despite receiving the additional information, it was reported that Public Protection continued to refer to some concerns regarding aspects of the information presented and the proposal itself. The recent response had been fully assessed, and despite acknowledging the concerns, the existing right of the building’s use for industrial purposes within the B2 use class (General Industrial) was considered, and by imposing appropriate conditions, the use of the building as a sports facility would not likely cause additional significant amenity impacts that would cause significant harm to the amenities of neighbours and the local area. As a result, it was not considered that the proposal was contrary to the policy on protecting private and public amenities.

 

It was considered that the proposal complied with the requirements of local and national policies and the officers recommended to approve the application subject to imposing relevant conditions.

 

b)     Taking advantage of the right to speak, the applicant’s Agent noted the following observations;

·        Approving would protect investment in Bangor

·        The building had been empty since 2022

·        The Paddle Court enterprise would create a community hub, including 8 courts

·        There were several sites across the United Kingdom

·        It would create access to a safe area

·        Create jobs, expenditure, a boost for tourism and the local economy

·        The location was suitable – a good network to reach it

·        The enterprise would create a low level of noise – a noise assessment had been completed

 

c)     Taking advantage of the right to speak, the Local Member commented that there were concerns locally about asbestos in the building, and there was no evidence that an asbestos survey had been completed.

 

In response, the Assistant Head noted that no information about asbestos had emerged on Planning grounds, but in accordance with the usual asbestos procedure, there would be statutory requirements for the applicant to deal with asbestos beyond the Planning procedure. The Monitoring Officer reiterated that the change of use from B2 to D2 was the requirements of the application and that any development on the site would be monitored under the Building Control arrangements.

 

d)     It was proposed and seconded to approve the application

 

e)     During the ensuing discussion, the following comments were noted by a    Member:

·        The facility was good for the area – welcomed the enterprise

·        Disappointment that there had been no response from Bangor City Council

·          Needed to secure a condition that the company (Social Sport Society) protected the use of the Welsh language

 

In response to a question whether there were similar nearby enterprises and concern regarding an excess of this type of facility, it was noted that there was no specific information about the provision, but an investment in Bangor was evidence that there was demand for it.

 

RESOLVED

 

To approve the application subject to material planning conditions relating to:

1.               Time

2.               Compliance with the plans

3.               Permitted use of the unit as a Pickleball / Padel Sports Centre only and not for any other purpose

4.               The flood mitigation measures recommended in parts 7.29 – 7.34 of the Planning Statement must be followed.

5.               Opening Hours: 07:00 to 23:00 daily

6.               The development approved through this shall be undertaken in accordance with the noise impact assessment, prepared by ES Acoustics – Noise Impact Assessment for a Proposed Padel Tennis and Pickleball Facility S3, Caernarfon Road, Bangor LL57 4SP Report Reference 22236.NIA-RPT.01. Rev A dated, 29 October 2025. Noise should not exceed the anticipated levels in Table 10 of the NIA.

7.               Within 3 months of the site becoming operational, a noise survey shall be undertaken by a suitably qualified acoustic adviser, in accordance with the NIA, and a report submitted to the Local Planning Authority and approved by them in writing. The report will provide information about the measured sound emitted from the site on 1.0m of the façade of the residential receptors identified in Maes Berea, Pen y Wern, Cilcoed and Bryn Llwyd. Should it be discovered that the operating noise is higher than the lowest background noise levels, or there are noise levels from the external mechanical equipment with a higher score than the external condition above, a detailed noise mitigation plan should be presented to the Local Planning Authority to be approved in writing. Any mitigation plan will be implemented within 3 months of the date of the written approval in accordance with the approved details and will be kept in accordance with those details afterwards.

8.               Working Hours

9.               Details of any external equipment installed on the building must be submitted.

10.            A Site Management Plan must be submitted and approved, including a mechanism for dealing with complaints from members of the public.

11.            Operate in accordance with the Green Infrastructure Statement.

12.            Ensure Welsh / Bilingual signs

Notes

           Welsh Water