Tennis club gets approval for controversial new floodlights

Thursday, 26 June 2025 11:13

By George Lythgoe, Local Democracy Reporter

A tennis club in Middleton has got permision to push ahead with plans for controversial new floodlights.

Alkrington Tennis and Social Club has been at odds with neighbours over their proposal for eight new 7m high floodlights – for two more courts.

The Uplands sports club wants to increase capacity for court use during the darker months, but residents living in the houses backing onto the courts are concerned about light disturbance.

One objector, speaking at the latest town hall meeting, said: “We have never complained about the issues we have had. This now, having these other lights, takes it one step too far, we are still a residential estate.

“We feel somewhere a line has to be drawn and these lights are one step too far for us.”

Coun Patricia Dale, speaking to Rochdale Council’s planning committee, added that the current light pollution has been disturbing the sleep of neighbours as well as the local wildlife.

The South Middleton councillor wanted to make sure the problem of excessive light from the courts would be mitigated.

According to the club, the foodlights will beam onto the courts and have little impact on the houses surrounding the site.

Despite this, club chairman Scott Russum agreed to a lights cut off at 9pm to lessen the impact on neighbours. He said they need the new floodlights so they can continue to grow their membership and offer more tennis courts in the winter months.

He added: “We want to futureproof the club with this, we are certainly not trying to disturb neighbours, which is why we have agreed to the curfew for the lights.”

Coun Billy Sheerin summed up the issue councillors were voting on by saying ‘it’s good to get people living healthier lives but then people are being disturbed by lights, which is not good’.

The proposal was approved by a majority decision, meaning the floodlights will be built.