Demolition Notice You may have seen a Demolition Notice outside our club but you may not be aware that our landlord ( The Carlton Lawn Tennis Company Ltd ) is resisting the renewal of our 35 year lease and so, in essence, trying to force us from our site where tennis has been played for over 120 years. They wish to build private housing instead and it is likely that they will try to construct as many units as possible on the site. They will, of course, require planning permission for this and the tennis courts are designated as open space and recreation by Trafford Borough Council. That's YOUR open space and once it's been built on it's gone forever. It's YOUR local community sports club to join and use for a very reasonable subscription. The three all weather tennis courts were refurbished in 2003 using Council Tax rebate money amounting to £55,000. That's YOUR council tax money. It's a common tactic in these situations for a landlord to firstly try to get permission to demolish any buildings leaving the site derelict in order to strengthen their argument for full planning permission at a later date, sometimes years afterwards. It's sad that the social club is no longer active and the building does look a bit worse for wear but tennis is still regularly played on the perfectly usable courts. We would like to improve the site with a small amount of housing facing onto the road which would still leave room for the tennis courts and a new more manageable clubhouse to remain behind. However, the land owners seem intent on selling the land to a developer, the motivation for doing so being unclear but it's not inconceivable that personal gain has a big part to play. As far as we understand the landlord acquired the land relatively cheaply in 1922 from the De Trafford Estate. The Club and NOT the landlord paid for the construction of the building. We would like to invite you to come and look around the premises so that you can see what will be lost from your local community if the building is demolished. There will be somebody here to allow access from 11:30 AM to 12:30 PM on Saturday 29th October. We hope you will support us as there is no reason why a club cannot continue here for another 120 years ! The demolition order can be found on the Trafford Borough planning portal website: Planning / Planning Applications / Public Access Database / Specific Application reference number :77589/DEMO/2011. If you would like to help please contact Trafford Council planning department preferably before 4th November, by email, letter, or telephone and object to the demolition, quoting reference '77589/DEMO/2011'. Comments should still be accepted up to the target decision date which is 9th November but the sooner the better! Post  :  Trafford Council Planning and Building Control, Waterside House, Sale, M33 7ZF Tel  :  TBC Planning : 0161 912 3149 Email  :  planning@trafford.gov.uk or see easy way to email your objection below! We would also recommend that you send a copy to your local ward councillors and local MP so that they are aware of your concerns. Councillor Ejaz Malik ejaz.malik@trafford.gov.uk 0161 881 0967 or 0161 862 9786 211 Seymour Grove, Old Trafford, M16 9QS Councillor Whit Stennett MBE whit.stennett@trafford.gov.uk 0161 912 3938 or 0161 860 6733 6 Basford Road, Firswood Stretford, M16 0GE Councillor Sophie Taylor sophie.taylor@trafford.gov.uk 0161 962 6814 52 Grange Road, Sale, M33 6RY Kate Green MP kate.green.mp@parliament.uk 0161 749 9120 House of Commons, London, SW1A 0AA. Your own personal letter / email is always best but as an alternative you can... Download this pro-forma letter, add your name and address, then sign it and post it to the Trafford Council Planning and Building Control address above OR drop it in at 32 Darley Rd, M16 0DQ from where it will be forwarded. EASY WAY TO EMAIL YOUR OBJECTION! Select the Pro-forma letter below, copy it (Ctrl+C), then click here to open an email window, with subject and email recipients automatically completed for you, paste the text (Ctrl+V), add your name and address then send it! Pro-forma Letter 1.   2. Copy text (Ctrl+C).  3. Open email here.  4.Paste into email (Ctrl+V).  5. Add your name and address.  6. Send it! From: Address: To: Trafford Council Planning and Building Control, Waterside House, Sale, M33 7ZF Ref: 77589/DEMO/2011 - Darley Lawn Tennis and Social Club Dear Trafford Planning, I have serious concerns regarding the demolition of the building which is the subject of the above referenced notice and object on the following grounds : 1) The demolished building leaving a derelict site will look far worse than the current usable facilities. 2) The demolished building leaving a derelict site is likely to attract vandalism and antisocial behaviour. 3) I have concerns over health and safety especially for local children who may be tempted to enter the site no matter how strong fences and warning signs may be. 4) I am concerned about the noise, dust and possible disturbance to foundations to adjacent properties. 5) I am concerned about the possible disturbance to drainage and the attraction of vermin onto the site. 6) I am concerned that if the building is demolished, then regardless of the outcome of any future application, it will not be practicably possible for the tennis club to continue operating on this site. 7) I urge the authority to refuse this application and resist the demolition of the tennis club facilities, until a full planning application for the site redevelopment has been approved. 8) I urge the authority to insist that an Environmental Impact Assessment is carried out before any demolition order is approved. 9) The building which is the subject of this application contains all the toilet, changing rooms, shower and kitchen amenities which are required to support the playing of tennis on this site. 10) The application documents do not include any details of the site restoration following demolition. They may be included in a future planning application, but it is impossible to say whether the tennis courts will be safely accessible in the future which is of particular concern for junior members. 11) The demolition method statement does not include details of how or whether the all-weather tennis courts and other surfaces ( including parking facilities ) would be protected, and it is possible that they might be damaged or rendered unusable by these works. Yours faithfully, back