Thorneydown Farm, Dorset
- Client
- Chalk and Padel
- Location
- Dorset
- Project size
- Three courts and wellness facilities
- Status
- Planning Submitted
Thorneydown Farm lies within the Cranborne Chase National Landscape, one of the most heavily protected landscapes in the country. Any new development here faces close scrutiny, and securing consent for padel courts in this setting was always going to be a challenge.
The proposal was for a completely new building, set within the existing farm complex. As well as securing consent for the new building, the application had to regularise existing operations and farm diversification activities that had already taken place on the site. Alongside this, we had to balance the requirements of biodiversity net gain and make the case that the site's rural location could be considered sustainable, a point the council needed to be persuaded on.
Padel Plan engaged in detailed discussions with both the National Landscape team and the council's planning department throughout the process. By siting the new building within the established group of farm buildings, we were able to show that it would sit comfortably in the landscape rather than intrude into open countryside. We also put forward strong arguments on the health and wellbeing benefits of the scheme, including the value of accessible sport for mental and physical health in rural communities where such facilities are often lacking. These benefits carried real weight in the planning balance and helped secure the support needed for the scheme.
Planning consent was granted, allowing the farm to diversify further and bring a valuable new sports facility to the local community.
This scheme shows that padel can succeed even in the most sensitive landscapes. At Padel Plan, we combine specialist knowledge of padel developments with a detailed understanding of planning policy to find a route to consent on sites others might consider too difficult.
