Plans for an “unashamedly modern” property complete with a pickleball court in an upmarket village have prompted a flood of objections, with conerns the new sport creates a noise nuisance.
Developers named in planning papers as Mr and Mrs Mackenzie applied to build "a two-storey unashamedly modern dwelling" on the site of the property called Furusato, on Wells Road at Burnham Overy Staithe.
But West Norfolk councillors went against their own officer's recommendation to approve the proposals because they considered them "inappropriate" in a conservation area.
Some 49 objections from locals were received on the council's planning portal, with pickleball one of the main bones of contention.
Emma Rance said: "Pickleball is a current craze in the US and is becoming known in the UK. A huge backlash has begun with courts now being closed in rural green spaces and towns because of the anti-social noise it generates.
"It is played with a hard bat and hard ball and unlike the gentle thud of a tennis ball on racket it is a hard sound which reverberates with some force, in relentless fashion."
Mary Rance said the court "would generate a large amount of disturbance and noise affecting the local amenity".
Debs Hargreaves added: "The question of noise pollution and pickleball should be addressed."
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Others highlighted the property's impact on a coastal harbour which has changed little since Nelson's time.
Burnham Overy Staithe Parish Council objected, saying the development would set "a significant negative precedent" and cause "significant harm to the character of the conservation area" when viewed from the sea wall.
Simon Wilson Stephens said: "Nelson, to name just one amongst many generations to have sailed, walked, lived, worked in this precious place, will turn in his grave if this is allowed to go ahead in its present form."
A planning statement said: "This proposal replaces a poor-quality house with a new building of outstanding architectural design."
IN A PICKLE
Pickleball was first played in America in the 1960s and soon caught on.
Its name is said to be derived from the phrase 'pickle boat', where a rowing crew is made up from leftovers from other boats. In the same way, pickleball uses equipment left over from other sports.
In 2021, 2022 and 2023, pickleball was named the fastest-growing sport in the US by the Sports and Fitness Industry Association, with almost 5m players.
But the game, where players hit a hard plastic ball to and fro over a net like tennis, is not without its controversies.
The New York Times said noise from the game was "driving everyone nuts".
It added: "The incessant pop-pop-pop of the fast-growing sport has brought on a nationwide scourge of unneighbourly clashes, petitions, calls to the police and lawsuits, with no solution in sight."
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