Gym chain David Lloyd Leisure applied to Havering Council in August, detailing hopes to make changes to its gym branch in Squirrels Heath Lane.
The planning application sought permission to convert four tennis courts to three padel courts, including one court with a canopy.
The gym group also proposed to develop an outdoor terrace, featuring a pergola, television screen, servery, and an external spa garden fitted with a sauna, hydro and plunge pools, fireplace, pod and children’s play area.
A spokesperson for the gym told this paper in August they were “excited” by the chance to “enhance the facilities and create new opportunities for members”.
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However on October 8, Havering Council refused the plans.
According to the council, the application raised concerns that there could be a “significant and noticeable intensification in the uses of the site, resulting in material harm” to the surrounding neighbourhood.
Plans were described as “limited”, failing to convince the planning authority that the proposal would “not be harmful in terms of resultant noise, disturbance, levels of activity, floodlighting of the site and lighting overspill”.
