COUNCILLORS have given lukewarm support for six floodlights to be installed at Wellington Tennis Club.

Members of Wellington Town Council’s planning committee were not overly happy with the application – submitted to the Somerset West and Taunton Council (SWT) – when they discussed it at their latest meeting.

Deputy Mayor Cllr Mark Lithgow felt the floodlights would be too close to nearby housing and would cause problems for people.

Cllr John Thorne said he was surprised neighbours of the tennis club in Courtland Road had made no adverse comments about the application.

“I’m surprised that there have been no comments made as the people in those houses will be affected by those floodlights,” he said.

The tennis club was recently awarded planning permission to build a third court at its headquarters.

And Cllr Thorne said: “I find it disappointing that this application didn’t go in at the same time as the one about another court.

“They [the club] have planning permission for a third court and now they are applying for floodlights.”

Councillors agreed that there should be restrictions on when the floodlights could be used.

A move to object to the application was lost on the casting vote of the Mayor, so the planning committee then voted narrowly in favour of the floodlights.

But councillors stipulated that they should only be used until 9pm and that should be made a condition of any permission being granted.

SWT will make a final decision on the application.