Kensington and Chelsea Council approves temporary padel courts despite resident concerns
The Kensington and Chelsea Council's Planning Applications Committee has approved plans for temporary padel courts at The Clearings, Draycott Avenue, for a 12-month period. The decision was made on Tuesday, 20 October 2026, following discussions on a range of planning applications.
The approval comes despite significant concerns raised by local residents regarding potential noise pollution and the design of the proposed structures. Councillor Idris, speaking as a ward councillor and resident, opposed the proposal, stating it would not enhance the neighbourhood and that residents' concerns about noise and light pollution were not adequately addressed. Sheikh Aboul Kalam, representing residents of Wiltshire Close, echoed these concerns, urging the committee to refuse the application to protect residents' homes, health, and quality of life. He highlighted the potential for noise disturbance from ball strikes, shouting, and floodlighting, drawing parallels with a previously refused padel court application in Hammersmith and Fulham due to noise disturbance.
Charlotte Jordan, the planning agent for the applicant, countered these arguments by emphasising that the application was for a temporary use on a brownfield site that has been vacant for over five years. The site, known as 'The Clearings', is currently cleared and has remained vacant for this period, though the specific reasons for its vacancy were not detailed in the meeting information. Ms Jordan stressed that no permanent buildings were proposed, and all elements were demountable, allowing the site to be reinstated without alteration at the end of the 12-month period. She also stated that noise and lighting assessments concluded compliance with council standards, subject to specific conditions.
Detailed noise assessments were conducted using Cadna A, an industry-standard environmental noise modelling package. The assessment incorporated a paddle-specific noise source derived from measured court activity, accounting for the distinctive ball strike characteristics of padel. The predicted paddle noise level at the nearest residential receptor is 49 dB, which is between 4 and 8 dB below existing ambient noise levels. Furthermore, the predicted maximum noise level from paddle activity is 59 dB LAF Max at the nearest residential properties, which is below the 65 dB LAF Max daytime criterion.
The padel courts are projected to be open to existing members of Kicks Gym and also to borough residents on two days of the week. This public access will include opportunities for pupils of the neighbouring Marlborough Primary School. Details of this public access will be secured via Condition 14.
To mitigate noise and glare, the council has imposed several specific conditions. Planning Condition 8 ensures that the paddle activities on site will not exceed the noise limits stated in the noise report.
Condition 11 requires details of external lighting, including measures to minimise glare.
Additionally, the hours of operation have been restricted to between 7 am and 10 pm. A further condition mandates that bin store doors be fitted with soft closing mechanisms to prevent slamming noise.
An 'Operational Management Plan', secured by Condition 12, will be in place to monitor compliance. This plan will detail waste management, out-of-hours contact procedures, a complaints procedure, and the appointment of a liaison officer who can be contacted by neighbours. This comprehensive plan is intended to ensure adherence to all imposed conditions throughout the 12-month period.
The committee ultimately approved the application for a 12-month period, also granting advertisement consent for hoarding. The full details of the meeting and the reports considered can be found in the Agenda frontsheet and the Public reports pack for the Planning Applications Committee meeting on 20 October 2026.