Thames Ditton Lawn Tennis Club

A question was raised in the House of Commons about the vulnerability of sports clubs to greedy developers: Hansard.

Before the hearing, the landlord applied for planning permission for the site, which was refused on the ground of the loss of a recreational open space.

The landlord then decided to demolish the buildings and courts on the basis that this would make it easier in the future to obtain planning consent.

The Court of Appeal considered whether this was correct in the light of the 1995 direction that planning consent for demolition is required only for dwelling houses.

Accordingly, it held that the landlord could not show the necessary firm and settled intention to demolish the premises and was unable to resist the tenant's application for a new lease.