Unused Filey tennis court to become new floodlit sports hub
A new floodlit multi-sport hub for football, basketball and netball has been given the green light near Filey despite concerns over noise and the potential impact on wildlife.
Plans to replace a largely unused floodlit tennis court at Hunmanby’s village playing fields with a modern PlayZone-style multi-use games area (MUGA) have been approved by North Yorkshire Council.
The new facility will provide a 30m by 20m playing surface designed for football, basketball and netball, together with spectator seating, storage facilities, perimeter fencing and floodlighting.
The existing court is a “dated and idle” facility that now requires replacement, according to plans.
The parish council said the project would create new sporting opportunities, encourage participation in physical activity and provide a modern community facility for residents of all ages.
The development will be built on the site of the existing court and will feature four six-metre-high floodlight columns designed to extend use into the winter months. The lighting will operate through an online booking system and digital access controls, with lights programmed to switch off automatically after bookings finish.
Planning officers concluded that the proposal would improve an existing recreational facility rather than introduce a new use into open countryside.
No objections were received from residents and Hunmanby Parish Council supported the scheme.
However, the council’s environmental health team raised concerns about potential noise from sporting activities, particularly the impact of balls striking fencing and hard surfaces.
To address those concerns, planners imposed restrictions requiring the facility to close at 10pm from Monday to Thursday and 9pm on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.
The council’s ecology team also raised concerns about the possible effect of floodlighting on nocturnal wildlife, particularly during spring and autumn when bats and other species are more active.
Although officers accepted that there could be some impact, they concluded the location was not sufficiently sensitive to justify refusing the application.
North Yorkshire Police supported the proposal, recommending that the facility operate via a formal booking system and remain locked when not in use.
Planning officers concluded the development would provide an enhanced community sports facility while maintaining the established recreational use of the site and approved the scheme subject to conditions.