LONDON'S ONLY BASEBALL
CAGES GET REPRIEVE
Playgolf Northwick Park wins appeal
to keep batting cages open in Harrow
18 April
2007: Contact Jimmy Wallace, +44
(0)20 8864 2020
The future for London’s only automated
baseball and softball cages has been secured,
after plans to have them ripped up were quashed
by the Planning Inspectorate.
Now bosses at Playgolf Northwick Park, home
of the sports complex in Harrow, London, have
welcomed the decision as a ‘victory
for commonsense’ and slammed critics
for undermining their attempts to create and
maintain a world class leisure facility in
the borough.
Following complaints by a handful of unrepresentative
local residents, Brent Council issued an enforcement
notice alleging the erection of a baseball
batting cage was a breach of planning control
at the £6m world class golf and leisure
facility in Watford Road, Harrow.
They asked for the nine cages and lighting
to be completely removed and the concrete
base dug up and returfed.
But Playgolf Northwick Park’s appeal
against the notice, which saw more than 50
supporters pack council rooms in Brent in
February, was this week upheld by the government’s
Planning Inspectorate.
Jimmy Wallace, general manager at Northwick
Park, said: “We are delighted by what
is clearly a decision for commonsense.
“Our batting cages are unique in the
UK and have been used by hundreds of schools,
organisations and families in the Harrow area.
“They are clearly very popular and
have created a much-needed facility in a part
of London that was crying out for a world
class sports and leisure complex.”
In granting Playgolf Northwick Park’s
appeal, Inspector Mr D A Hainsworth said:
“I consider the court to be an open-air
facility for sport and recreation that complies
with the Metropolitan Open Land policies in
the London Plan.”
He said the cages were ‘well sited’
in the complex, at a lower level than the
access road, partially screened and there
was plenty of parking space for visitors.
He added: “The kiosk, pitching machines
and lighting equipment are unobtrusive.”
Playgolf have agreed to make several alterations
to the batting cage, which will include lowering
the central column which supports the nets
by 3m, lowering the netting when it is not
in use and carrying out more planting on the
Watford Road boundary.
David Piggins, chief executive of Playgolf
Holdings Plc said: “I am very pleased
the Inspector could see the value that Playgolf
Northwick Park provides to the local community
and greater London as a whole.
“There is a vocal minority of people
living near the complex who are hell bent
on trying to destroy a facility that is used
and enjoyed by thousands of people every week
– sometimes up to 4,000 people a weekend
in Summer.
“I am delighted the government has
confirmed that its policy supports our stance.
This is an innovative facility that is great
for London and, in the case of the baseball
and softball cages, great for the UK.”
There are nine fully automated baseball and
softball cages at Playgolf Northwick Park,
with people of all ages able to select from
three balls speeds. The cages sit alongside
a unique 8-hole Majors golf course, 56-bay
driving range, the National Short Game Centre
and an adventure putting course.
CONTACTS:
Jimmy Wallace, Playgolf Northwick Park
Tel: +44 (0) 20 8864 2020
Email: jimmywallace@playgolfworld.com
Peter McEvoy, PowerPlay Golf
Tel: +44 (0) 1684 291345 / +44 (0) 7836 314911
Email: sportingconcepts@btconnect.com
David Piggins, Playgolf Holdings plc
Tel: +44 (0) 1926 422320, Email: davidpiggins@playgolfworld.com
PRESS CONTACT:
Andy Hiseman, Hiseman Partners, +44
(0)1780 757461, Email: andy@hiseman.com
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