A tennis club is seeking to prolong its playing season by replacing two existing grass courts with artificial clay.

But the addition of nine towers to floodlight the new courts is worrying neighbours of St John's Lawn Tennis Club in Tunbridge Wells.

The club, which was founded in 1922 and has more than 450 members, already has four floodlit clay courts, but they are well screened from the homes that lie closest to them, in New England Road.

The grass courts, the subject of this proposal, lie close to homes in Wilman Road, where one neighbour, Nicholas Prideu, said he had bats circulating the apple tree in his garden.

He said he was concerned at the effect the floodlighting would have on “these delicate creatures”.

He said: “There are already four floodlit courts; it seems unnecessary to add a further two.”

The tennis club said the lights would be designed to limit any light spillage.

The club’s ground is accessed via a private lane from St John’s Road, which is shared with Tunbridge Wells Masonic Club.

No addition to the 39-space car park is proposed. Until 2017, the site was shared with the Tunbridge Wells Bowling Club. Since its departure, the applicant says, there has actually been a decrease in traffic and in parking requirement.

The application is being submitted by Tunbridge Wells Sports Ground Ltd, the actual landowner.

Details can be viewed here.

Look for application number 23/02418