Cheshire East has given the go-ahead for five padel courts and a clubhouse on vacant land at the Grand Junction Retail Park in Crewe.

The sports development will be built on land to the rear of the Food Warehouse.

Historically it was a bowling green but a report from Cheshire East's planning officer says it has been out of use since 2007.

"The council's green infrastructure officer considers that due to the site being surrounded by commercial development it is unlikely to be feasible for the bowling green to be reinstated," says the officer's report.

The proposal is for the installation of five padel courts with canopy structures, a clubhouse with ancillary facilities (including toilets), reconfiguration of the car park, along with access and associated landscaping.

Crewe Town Council had raised concerns the development would negatively impact existing traffic issues within the retail park site and surrounding areas.

It added: "The location and proposed pathway access are deemed insufficient and potentially unsafe, during late night/early morning hours of operation."

And it argued the out-of-town provision would be detrimental to the town centre, 'where there are accessible and more sustainable locations for this community facility, without further impact on the locality'.

The report from Cheshire East's planning officer says there is a shortfall of padel courts in the borough.

It says highways officers have no objections to the scheme.

Regarding the comments about the out-of-town location, the officer says: "The provision would form a modest outdoor recreational use.

"Furthermore, the proposals would represent an alternative open space/sports provision on the site."

The application was approved with conditions by a planning officer under delegated authority.

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