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Expert says Hartsdown tennis courts are 'shocking' September 2 – A sports coach who runs classes for young people in Thanet was left asking for new courts please, rather than new balls. Nick Frost, an LTA tennis coach who runs a school in Maidstone and Sevenoaks, declined to use the tennis courts at Hartsdown Leisure Centre for summer tennis camps because of their “shocking condition.” He decided the facilities were not up to the requirements he needed to teach on and was concerned his insurance would not cover him if he took the classes. “They were really bad and in a shocking condition,” he said. He said the lack of toilets and poor playing surface could have invalidated his insurance. A Thanet council spokeswoman said: “Hartsdown courts are in average condition. "Two of the four are in full operation and regular maintenance of nets and the surrounding area is carried out. There are currently no plans for resurfacing any of the courts across the island but they are certainly not an insurance risk.” Mr Frost was in town to put on cheap summer tennis camps for local children and taught around 40 people each day he was in the area. Meanwhile, one set of courts in Ramsgate were not even recommended for his use. The coach had to find the Montifiore Tennis Courts in Ramsgate under his own steam after the council failed to tell him they even existed. He said: “They were not on the list of courts that I could use, given to me by the council but were much better than the other ones that were on the list. They are fine and there is nothing wrong with them. They are absolutely fine for coaching on.” The disputed Montifiore courts, which the council want to sell, have been the subject of dispute for many months. Ramsgate Cllr Alan Poole, who has been involved in the fight to save the courts, says the situation simply isn’t tennis.	He said: “The council has often said the courts were underused but that’s not surprising if they are not recommended for people who want to use tennis courts. The courts actually are well used and would be even more so if they were recommended to people like Nick.” The council spokeswoman said: “Our communication with Nick has been really positive.  Our original understanding was that he was looking at venues on the Margate side which was why we offered Hartsdown and St Mildreds.  “He seemed happy with the courts offered and even added a new date at St Mildred's, due to the demand for the camps.  These courts were also offered on the basis that they are next to the leisure centre with good access to changing rooms and refreshments.” The Montefiore courts are now subject of a Village Green application, which could see them saved if it is successful. They have been taken off the asset disposal list until a decision is made early next year. Mr Frost added he thought it was “a shame” the council were looking to get rid of the tennis courts Thanet News Glasgow hoping to be site of Judy Murray tennis academy September 8 – Glasgow councillors are hoping to attract Judy Murray, the mother of world number two tennis star Andy Murray and Wimbledon mixed doubles champion Jamie Murray, into setting up a new tennis academy in the city. Councillors are to discuss plans for a housing development in the Robroyson area in the north of Glasgow on Friday, and it is thought that they have identified a possible site where the tennis academy could be sited. Ms Murray said last year that she was wanting to establish a training centre to develop tennis stars of the future in Scotland and encourage them to build on their potential. She had suggested Stirling as a possible location, but indicated that she	wanted to expand to several sites. The academy is likely to have indoor courts, as well as outdoor clay courts and hard courts, along with mini courts and facilities for other activities. The housing development plan, on what is at present greenbelt land, will see around 1500 new homes being built across Robroyston and Millerston. Councillors are keen to ensure that the development has links to transport routes, as well as shops and businesses and leisure facilities. STV Battersea Power Station to get rooftop pool and tennis court September 8 – Leisure facilities now feature in the plans for the long-awaited redevelopment of Battersea Power Station, which site owners Real Estate Opportunities (REO) say will be submitted to planning officers in the coming weeks The revised plans for the regeneration of Battersea Power Station include a rooftop swimming pool and tennis courts, according to Robert Tincknell of REO. Residents will benefit from the facilities, which will be the equivalent to a private residents’ club. Over the next few weeks the planning application - which includes 60,000m² of office space, 32,500m² of retail space, 154 luxury residential apartments, a conference centre and cultural and creative industry workshops – will be submitted to Wandsworth Borough Council. Tincknell describes the future centre as a ‘multi mixed-use scheme’. He added that the redevelopment of the power station was an ‘enormous challenge’ and explained how the varied nature of the project would be beneficial. ‘A mix of use provides a viable use for the building, a blend of uses ensures its viability not only today but also its viability in the future’. Also included in architect Rafael Vinoly’s plans is a post-graduate centre for art colleges around the country housed in the station’s turbine halls. These massive spaces – equal in size to the turbine halls at the Tate Modern – are intended to be transformed into vast exhibition centres, open to the public. Work on the project is not expected to start until 2012, with completion predicted in 2020. Architects Journal
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