A member has accused Warwick Boat Club of "abusing" planning rules as it was given temporary planning permission for some a padel court.

Warwick District Council's planning committee last week granted planning permission to the Mill Street facility to keep the courts which had been installed without planning permission.

Just one councillor voted against the retrospective application which had been recommended for approval by council officers.

This was despite the objections of 17 locals, two of whom spoke at the meeting.

One - who said he had been a member at the club for 40 years - said he was "ashamed" at how the planning rules had not been followed.

"When this padel court was put in six months ago it was done by padel experts who knew perfectly well planning permission was required and obviously so did Warwick Boat Club that owns the land," he said. 

"It was not applied for, till three months later, when obviously this is a well known tactic of 'get your foot in the door'. 

"It is an abuse of the process which should be stopped."

Meanwhile neighbour Terry Brown: "We in Mill Street and Bridge End are at a loss as to why planning has recommended this application at what is a very special site with all its historic and visual significance. 

"It can't have escaped the councillors' attention there has been considerable national press on how antisocial open-air padel courts are, both in the sharp crack of the racket on the ball and the raucous behaviour associated with this game."

Speaking on behalf of Warwick Boat Club, director Jonathan Browning said it was essential it increased its revenue streams, citing padel as the fast growing market available to it.

"We also face huge challenges, we see rising costs and we face an increasing flood risk," he said. 

"We have to find ways to manage those and to allow this proud club to continue to evolve and not be complacent about the future."

The temporary court has been given permission to stay in place until March 2026, with the club advised to bring forward another application for its further use before this deadlines.

The court sits on one of the existing 11 tennis courts.

Proposing temporary permission be granted, Cllr Bill Gifford said: "Given that it is temporary and there is a chance for the environmental health and the boat club to sort anything out, and indeed to talk to residents and to check everything is going ok, I would suggest the temporary nature of the condition makes it very difficult to refuse."

See the council's report here.