A community association has withdrawn plans to build a new sports space in Gerrards Cross after backlash for evicting ‘heartbroken’ allotment holders from the site.

The village association submitted plans to turn ‘unused’ tennis courts and adjoining allotments at the Gerrards Cross Memorial Centre into a new padel court space in late May.

While a spokesperson described the proposal – which would ‘evict’ seven allotment holders from their posts – as a way to “open up the Memorial Centre to a new audience”, backlash abounded both from allotment holders like 72-year-old Patricia Cross and nearby residents including 57-year-old Sarah Williams.

Ms Williams, who lives in Marsham Lodge, an estate backing onto the proposed site, told the Free Press last week that she was primarily worried about noise and light pollution from the famously loud sport.

It appears the association has taken this feedback – and an objection submitted on behalf of residents by the local town council – into consideration, as the application was officially withdrawn from Buckinghamshire Council’s planning portal on Monday, June 24.

Tony Aston, association president, said on June 20 that he had “taken notice” of the local backlash but remained “confident” in the project, which he described as an “excellent addition to the sporting facilities available to Gerrards Cross residents”.

He said the association “proposes to reinforce its initial planning application to address the specific points that have been raised”, so the withdrawal may be followed by a separate, modified submission.