A grudge match has kicked off between residents and an upmarket health club over its plans to open a padel club in the heart of a residential area.

KX gym is planning to erect four new padel open-air courts and members facilities on a brownfield site – spreading over 2,400 square metres  – near its main workout club and spa on Draycott Avenue SW3.

The site, known as The Clearings, was formerly used by Peter Jones as a storage depot, but has been empty for nearly 20 years due to a failed sale in 2007. Successive schemes for property development have also failed, not least in recent years due to a slow down in the property market.

Now KX (pronounced Kicks) has lodged a planning application with RBKC for padel courts, including detailed designs that show toilets, a reception, an open air hangout area and a van serving coffee and refreshments. If granted council approval, the KX project is projected to £2 million and could be up and running within a few months. They say that the structure will only be in place for “12 months”.

Membership at KX for one person costs £8,750 annually on top of the £2,500 joining fee – your first year costing you £11,250 for access to the luxury health and wellness club.

 

But the plan has been met with fierce opposition from residents who are hitting back with a volley of complaints lobbed into the council portal. The key points of opposition are NOISE from play, disruption from CARS used by players, and LIGHT pollution. The courts would be open from 6am-10pm, which residents say, will bring extensive disruption – particularly to those who live in flats where bedrooms overlook the site.

Residents also claim unfair play by KX and its property agent Savills for filing the planning application in early August when most people were away – and giving just three weeks during peak summer season to lodge objections.

Residents also claim that they were only alerted to the scheme by a single Public Notice board tied to a lamppost on Draycott Avenue.

 

Residents are further dismayed that neither company made any effort to consult them in advance of the application, nor give prior warning.

Following multiple requests for comment from KX, The Citizen received this reply from its external public relations company: “KX has no comment to make on this and will not be putting anyone forward for interview. Should that position change, we will let you know.” Savills has not responded. 

 

 

Lord Richard Grantley, chairman of the Milner Street Area Residents Association (MISARA), called upon his members to act. He also submitted a detailed letter [published in full below] to RBKC’s planning officer Cheryl Collins in August detailing the areas of concern and reasons for objection. Lord Grantley states:

“We fully expect the very frequent “gunfire-like” sound of 4 padel courts to disturb many residents in many of the surrounding streets, including those some distance away, for up to 16 hours a day, 365 days a year.

“Two things are certain: this ugly structure will create light pollution, and it will be highly visible from surrounding streets. We appreciate that the current housing market is poor, but this padel scheme in the middle of a quiet residential area is not the right answer…this application should be refused.”

Noise remains the point of contention – and KX are aware. Spend enough time on their planning documents and you find notes about light and noise in the plans already. Indeed, they have completed Environmental Noise Survey and Noise Impact Assessment Report with the conclusion: ‘negligible’.

The Citizen will monitor progress of the planning application and bring readers full coverage of proceedings when it comes before the Planning Committee.

 

 

Some of the many objections letters to the council

 

 

Three letters of SUPPORT for the scheme

 

 

 

 

 

 

The damning letter from MISARA