Padel and Wellness Centre approved at Pera Business Park

Client: OBSTRAT (Strategic property development company based in Leicester)

Services: Pre-application advice, change of use application, management and co-ordination of project.

Sector: Leisure

Outcome: A collaborative approach from inception through to submission of the application and a strong well throughout Planning Strategy was key to the success of the project with a decision being issued within 7 weeks of submission, with no pre commencement conditions.

Matters addressed:

• Edge of town centre policy
• Noise impact upon nearby residential properties
• Highway impacts

The proposal sought to:

• Bring a redundant building back into active use
• Introduce a high‑quality leisure destination
• Support local health and wellbeing
• Strengthen the long‑term resilience and attractiveness of Pera Business Park, a home to over 80 businesses.

Brief Description:

Obstrat Limited had identified a gap in the local market for modern, accessible, community‑focused sports and wellbeing facilities — particularly the fast‑growing sport of Padel tennis. They had already undertaken pre-application advice with Melton Borough Council who advised that a change of use application would be required.

Denise Knipe, as a local resident and a former Planner at MBC was able to use that local knowledge to formulate the Planning Strategy for the site.  The site is ‘edge of town’ in policy terms and the use fell within the definition of town centre use.  A light touch sequential assessment was provided as part of the Spatial Planning Statement.

The building was undergoing repairs with replacement of the glass roof and cement fibre cladding. These positive changes achieved a level of mitigation on noise impacts.

Pera Business Park is a long-established business in the town and has a traffic signal controlled entrance with an extant planning permission for an 80 bed care home within the grounds. Bringing a Transport Consultant on board to address highway impacts ensured that local concerns on traffic, were properly addressed resulting in no technical objection to the mixed use proposal.

Project Collaborations: BSP Consulting Ltd (Transport statement), Three Sixty Design & Build (Plans/Drawings)