A new planning application has been submitted by the Georgians Tennis Club at Crouch End Playing Fields. It includes two proposals: i) a large permanent canopy (roof structure) above three of the four padel courts and ii) retrospective approval for two pickleball courts that were built on the site without planning permission.
CREOS will be submitting a detailed objection to the erection of this tall permanent structure on our open space, just as we did when the same club applied for a dome over three tennis courts ten years ago. The site is on Metropolitan Open Land (MOL) and is also a Site of Interest for Nature Conservation (SINC). The MOL designation carries the same legal protections as Green Belt, and development on MOL is normally prohibited, except for the playing of outdoor sports – where the openness of the land is preserved.
When the padel courts were approved in 2024, the whole basis of the approval was that the surrounding fences would be open, lightweight and visually permeable, in order to preserve the openness of the MOL. A roof structure, by definition, creates enclosure – and directly contradicts the basis on which the 2024 application was approved.
Normally, such an application on MOL would be rejected, but the club is claiming there are very special circumstances, which when analysed in detail simply boil down to the fact that sometimes it rains. This is a natural occurrence with outdoor sports, which all of the existing cricket and tennis clubs regard as acceptable and manageable. Approval to cover three Padel courts today would set a precedent that could lead to more of the sports clubs becoming covered over in the future and the gradual disappearance of our open space.
To comment on the application please follow the link to Haringey Council’s planning website: HERE>>
The deadline for comments is 20 April 2026.
