Oakham Lawn Tennis Club Recruits Support for Floodlights

Oakham Lawn Tennis Club is in the process of collecting signatures on a petition that has been issued to recruit local support for the erection of floodlights at their facility in The Vale, Oakham.

I have no doubt that this article will attract a lot of comments, as previous posts have made it absolutely clear that residents living in The Vale are fiercely opposed to the idea.

I am a tennis player (of sorts!) and am not opposed, or in fact 'neutral' to the idea and found it frustrating when Oakham Town Council turned down Oakham Lawn Tennis Club's application for floodlighting late last year.

However, I was not at the meeting, so do not have firsthand knowledge of what was said, or the objections raised, other than the statement that floodlights would cause a nuisance to those living close to the Club.

Having said that, I cannot understand why floodlights, which are more technically advanced than they were a few years ago, being of low height and focussed almost entirely on the court area, cannot be installed, if their use is closely managed and monitored..

Currently, Oakham Lawn Tennis Club can only operate after 4.00m pm for six months of the year which not only threatens their membership, but also the future of the club.

At a time when there are over 1 billion obese people in the world and childhood obesity is growing at an alarming rate, I believe that we should be encouraging sport. Tennis is an all year round activity that appeals to the young and the old and provides not only health benefits, but a highly social environment.

The subject is on the agenda for the next Town Council Planning and Parks Committee meeting on the 22nd February starting at 7.00 pm.  Members of the public are free to attend.

This is the agenda item:-

OAKHAM LAWN TENNIS CLUB

(Appendices B – Request from the Chairman of the Tennis Club

B(i)- Letter and further information supplied by the Residents' Group opposed to the application)

(i) To consider the revised application from Oakham Tennis Club for the erection of floodlighting to three courts at the Vale with a shut off time of 9.30pm on weekdays and 7.00pm at weekends and to decide whether or not to approve the request

(ii) To agree, if appropriate, on any comments or suggestions that can be made to both parties with regard to floodlighting at the Vale.

Sign the Petition

If you would like to pledge your support to the campaign for floodlights you can do so by signing the online petition which will be used to build a case to encourage the Town Council to sustain and develop tennis as a sport in our town.