New Bowls Please

Peel Commissioners has submitted plans for principle approval to replace tennis courts on Marine Parade with new clubhouse facilities for the town’s bowls club.

The proposed redevelopment would incorporate a cafe, clubhouse, community facilities and public toilets, with the potential for a two indoor bowling lanes.

The planning statement, prepared by Sarah Corlett Town Planning Consultancy, notes that the tennis courts’ nets are only erected in May until the end of summer each year and are scarcely used, while the skateboard/BMX park was removed as the equipment was in a poor state.

It says: ‘They [the local authority] advise that the skate park required major refurbishment and one of the pieces of equipment was fenced off in 2022 to prevent its use and it and the other jumps have since been removed and the Commissioners are considering relocating this facility to a less exposed location.’

And adds: ‘The existing cafe to the south west of the bowling green is very popular but not in a good state of repair and it is intended that this current proposal will provide an alternative cafe location whilst works are undertaken on that site with the intention that it would be repurposed for use in association with the bowling green to provide additional facilities as well as the public toilet block which is also past its useful life.’

One tennis court may be relocated to the multi-sport area which is proposed on the site of the former swimming pool.

As the application is for principle permission only, approval would not mean that the plans can go ahead without further scrutiny.

You can find the full application here.