Planners have stopped a man building a tennis court in South Bucks because it is ‘not acceptable in the open countryside’.

Mr Bassam Shlewet had applied for planning permission from Buckinghamshire Council for the new sports area at Kimble Farm, Dudley Lane in the Chilterns village of Southend.

Officers said that allowing the existing ‘manège’ – an enclosed area in which horses and riders are trained – to become urbanised, conflicted with planning laws.

In their decision notice, they said: “The site of the proposed tennis court comprises a manège which is currently free from development.

“It would introduce a 3m high mesh fence around the perimeter of the tennis court, painted lines and a net at the centre of the court. This will result in an area of previous vacant land with a rural character being transformed into a tennis court with a far more urban character.”

Mr Shlewet, who wanted to change the use of the land from equestrian to ‘residential amenity’ claimed the tennis court was appropriate on private land.

His plans read: “The proposed tennis court would cause little change to the existing setting, given its virtually transparent mesh surrounding the court, which is lower than the existing perimeter hedge.”

He also pointed out that his plans would not generate an increase in vehicle trips to the site and that the existing mature hedge would be retained.