RESIDENTS who live next to an “intolerable” sports club have compared the loud noises to “gunshots” going off.
Those neighbouring Winchester Racquets and Fitness club are up in arms about the prospect of an “exponential” worsening of sounds they are subjected to day and night.
Homeowners told how those closest have to cower in their homes with windows shut thanks to the racket caused by Padel.
The tennis club, situated in the heart of Winchester, dates back to 1910 and now boasts three Padel courts which members can enjoy the use of after paying a yearly membership of £161.
Padel, an up-and-coming sport widely thought to be the fastest growing in the world with 25 million players, is a version of tennis played on a similar court.
But unlike tennis, a Padel racket is solid with no strings – meaning it makes a very loud noise when striking the ball.
And to the neighbours of the upmarket tennis club, padel is nothing but a nuisance.
They are threatening to take legal action all the way to the Supreme Court over “constant” swearing, floodlights as well as the “gunshot” sounds.
The club – which neighbours properties that sell well in excess of £1 million – have said they are working with the council to address the noise as they “pursue further padel court developments”.
In a newsletter earlier this year, the club’s padel committee revealed it was “very keen” to double this number to six in the “near future“.
However, this has caused uproar with locals, who have recently objected to plans to extend the playing time until 10pm.
Peter and Liz Russell’s house is just 11ft from two tennis courts – the noise of which they actually find “quite nice” and like to hear.
They have lived there for 40 years, but have decided to take action after hearing of the club’s plans to convert them to be used for Padel.
Mr Russell, 75, said: “I have said I would take it as far as the Supreme Court. Life would not be tolerable in this house.”
He said if approved, it would cause the house’s value to plummet and impact their selling ability, as well as “any sense of relaxation” they could have in their garden due to “gunshot” like sounds.
“Padel is providing exercise to retired people who are not particularly mobile – Liz and I would like to play it.
“But it must not be close to private houses and private gardens. Tennis has never caused this level of opposition.
“We can live with tennis – it’s nothing like padel. What is sad is the club is not acknowledging this – they are sticking their heads in the sand.
“Nobody realised how noisy, disruptive and objectionable these courts would be.”
He added that he and other neighbours of the club are “determined” not to have any more padel courts approved.
“It has got to be recognised, padel is not to be put anywhere near private properties,” he Mr Russell said.
“It’s not fair to the residents, it’s not just and it’s treating neighbours as you would never like to be treated yourself.
“It’s increasingly becoming a massive social issue. It’s causing a massive disturbance to people in their private homes.”
John Colley, 53, lives in a separate cul-de-sac of houses where several rear gardens back onto the club’s Padel courts.
He said: “When they were tennis courts, it was not a problem.
“Padel is an easier to play, so different people playing it and they are shouting a lot, occasionally using foul language.”
On the prospect of six courts, the retail worker said: “That is crazy. I would challenge very strongly, them putting anymore courts up.
“They are playing from 8am to 9pm. I’m not against people playing it, but there is lots of space towards the back of the club where there are not near residential – they just haven’t really thought it through.”
He said neither the residents or the council’s planning officials “really knew” the extent of the noise the tennis alternative would produce.
John added: “It’s constant, all day. I’m sitting in the garden with my children listening to people swearing.
“There’s guys clattering around, you have to go inside and shut the windows but sometimes you can still hear them.”
He explained he had complained to the club, but all he got back was “very nice” emails, before it happened again.
“It has been terrible this year, it’s not getting better and if anything it’s getting worse,” Said John.
“This isn’t a test case, the club should be doing something about it.”
Peter Chilvers and his wife live in a house which also has a garden backing on to the padel courts, meaning they often have to take cover from the noise inside.
The 81 year old said: “I think it’s a joke. The tennis club has been there a long time.
“It used to be a good neighbour, but they have expanded and expanded. Sometimes you might get a noisy coach but that was all part of it.
“Padel maybe a good thing for the world, but it’s not a good thing for neighbours.”
Mr Chilvers said the floodlights installed were intrusive, adding: “I think the nuisance to us is the ball on the racket – that is the noise.
“If you get good players, it’s boom, boom, boom, boom. The sport does attract more shouting and swearing than tennis.
“I don’t want to be a killjoy, because people probably enjoy it.
“It’s a question of the relationship with the location – if it’s somewhere away from anywhere, everybody can be happy and get on with it, not in the back garden.”
It has been terrible this year, it’s not getting better and if anything it’s getting worse.
John Colley, 53
Alan Betts, who lives in the same close as Mr Colley said the floodlights from the padel courts shone straight into his home.
The 50-year-old mechanical engineer said problems weren’t limited to just the summer months sat in the garden.
He said: “The floodlights are worst in the winter. They’re annoying because I don’t think they’re at the right angle from the planning permission.
“They just shine straight into the house. I’d certainly object if they applied for more courts.”
He continued: “We bought a house next to a tennis club, so we expect some noise.
“But since they changed them to Padel, it is so much louder than tennis.
“If there’s no wind, the noise just echoes and reverberates off the back of the house.”
Another woman, who lives even closer to the site but wished to remain anonymous, said padel shouldn’t be allowed as it’s not a “suitable” location, whilst another said more courts would make things “exponentially worse”.
In a statement, the club’s general manager Ian Fowler said: “In 2019 Winchester Racquets and Fitness was delighted to be granted planning permission to install the first three padel courts in the Winchester area.
“As an early adopter of padel, the club now sees it as an important and integral part of the offering to our members alongside tennis, squash, gym, studio, croquet and bridge.
“As we wish to work in harmony with our neighbours, we have recently engaged with the council to address some of the issues caused by the noise of padel bat on ball.
“Furthermore, we commit to working with all stakeholders as we pursue further padel court developments. As always, consideration will be given to the potential impact of any development on our neighbours.”
