17th  April 2007

LONDON’S ONLY BASEBALL CAGES GET REPRIEVE
Playgolf Northwick Park wins appeal to keep batting cages open in Harrow

The future for London’s only automated baseball and softball cages has been secured, after plans to have them ripped up were quashed by the Planning Inspectorate.

Now bosses at Playgolf Northwick Park, home of the sports complex in Harrow, London, have welcomed the decision as a ‘victory for commonsense’ and slammed critics for undermining their attempts to create and maintain a world class leisure facility in the borough.

Following complaints by a handful of unrepresentative local residents, Brent Council issued an enforcement notice alleging the erection of a baseball batting cage was a breach of planning control at the £6m world class golf and leisure facility in Watford Road, Harrow.

They asked for the nine cages and lighting to be completely removed and the concrete base dug up and returfed.

But Playgolf Northwick Park’s appeal against the notice, which saw more than 50 supporters pack council rooms in Brent in February, was this week upheld by the government’s Planning Inspectorate.

Jimmy Wallace, general manager at Northwick Park, said: “We are delighted by what is clearly a decision for commonsense.

“Our batting cages are unique in the UK and have been used by hundreds of schools, organisations and families in the Harrow area.

“They are clearly very popular and have created a much-needed facility in a part of London that was crying out for a world class sports and leisure complex.”

In granting Playgolf Northwick Park’s appeal, Inspector Mr D A Hainsworth said: “I consider the court to be an open-air facility for sport and recreation that complies with the Metropolitan Open Land policies in the London Plan.”

He said the cages were ‘well sited’ in the complex, at a lower level than the access road, partially screened and there was plenty of parking space for visitors.

He added: “The kiosk, pitching machines and lighting equipment are unobtrusive.”

Playgolf have agreed to make several alterations to the batting cage, which will include lowering the central column which supports the nets by 3m, lowering the netting when it is not in use and carrying out more planting on the Watford Road boundary.

David Piggins, chief executive of Playgolf Holdings Plc said: “I am very pleased the Inspector could see the value that Playgolf Northwick Park provides to the local community and greater London as a whole.

“There is a vocal minority of people living near the complex who are hell bent on trying to destroy a facility that is used and enjoyed by thousands of people every week – sometimes up to 4,000 people a weekend in Summer.

“I am delighted the government has confirmed that its policy supports our stance. This is an innovative facility that is great for London and, in the case of the baseball and softball cages, great for the UK.”   

There are nine fully automated baseball and softball cages at Playgolf Northwick Park, with people of all ages able to select from three balls speeds. The cages sit alongside a unique 8-hole Majors golf course, 56-bay driving range, the National Short Game Centre and an adventure putting course.

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Company Contact:  David Piggins, Playgolf (Holdings) PLC, Tel: +44 (0)1926 422320

Email: davidpiggins@playgolfworld.com

Media Contact: Andy Hiseman, Hiseman Partners, Tel: +44 (0)1780 757461

Email: andy@hiseman.com

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