Padel court plan for former Sunday school

A former Sunday school building could be turned into a padel court under plans submitted to Calderdale Council.

Applicant Chris Hasling said the Grade II listed Bolton Brow Gallery in Sowerby Bridge was "underused" and the sports venue would save it from long-term decline.

The plan would mean people could keep using the "heritage asset", and this was in keeping with Historic England's emphasis on "active reuse" of buildings to keep up their conservation, he said.

The plans seek consent to modify the interior of the gallery building.

Plaster-boarded, stud-walled living accommodation would be removed and in its place would be a free-standing court structure with glass rebound walls and ball fencing, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

A synthetic turf playing surface made locally would be glued to a floating board base on timber flooring, on a protective separation layer of foam sheet, Hasling said.

LED sports lighting would be added to the freestanding steel-framed enclosure rather than being fixed to listed fabric.

Toilets would be relocated to the south-east corner of the building and the current entrances would be reused, the plans said.

No historic material would be removed or altered, and externally the building would be unaffected.

Hasling said all interventions would be reversible.

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