Residents of a prestigious royal town have voiced their objections to the proposed construction of three new padel courts at the upscale Sutton Coldfield Tennis Club, citing concerns over the "gunshot-like" noise.

Inhabitants of homes valued at £785,000 are worried that their peace and quiet will be disrupted by the proposed floodlit courts.

The club already has one court, and locals fear an increase in noise akin to a "Gunfight at the OK Corral'-style racket if the plans are approved.They say the existing padel court has already left the affluent area sounding " if the plans get the green light.

The existing padel court has reportedly turned the affluent area into something "like a warzone," with players frequently shouting and using profanity.

Residents are now apprehensive that the additional courts would subject them to a daily onslaught of loud noise and potentially decrease property values in the leafy West Midlands town.

Padel, a trendy game that combines elements of squash and tennis, is considered the fastest-growing sport globally. However, residents argue it's not suitable for a suburban environment due to the "unbearable" noise produced when players hit the balls.

Concerns have also been raised about the impact on elderly residents in nearby care homes, as the noisy sport is often played for 12 hours a day, from 9am until 9pm.

Jason Kerrigan, a 52 year old media consultant living just metres away from the private members club established in 1922, accused the club of "bullying" locals. The father-of-one said: "They stuck the first court next to a couple of OAPS - just metres from their gardens and homes.

"The new ones will be 17 metres from our property. It's going to be every single morning, afternoon and evening.

"It's great fun, but people are cursing and swearing. If you're 91, in a care home and hearing that it's not very nice.

"What it amounts to is bullying, forcing them to listen to it.

"They will be putting it next to 115 elderly people who are sick and dying. They have dementia, Alzheimer's, cancer - all sorts. They have to listen to this banging.

"It's a new sport but they're trying to fit it into a suburban environment, and it doesn't suit it.

"Everyone talks about them sounding like gunshots. When those rackets bash against the plexiglass it's an incredible noise.

"They start at 9am in the morning, they finish at 9pm at night. There will be 16 people hitting the ball at the same time on all the different courts.

"There will be more shots fired than at the O.K. Corral.

"The court shouldn't be there. We're not complaining about one random party one evening, it's like a party all day, everyday, forever.

"It's going to be awful for me; it's my back garden, but it's going to be much worse for our neighbours."

Great-grandmother-of-four Brenda Catterall has decried the proposed new padel tennis courts as a source of relentless disturbance, remarking: "The new ones will be 17 metres from our property. It's going to be every single morning, afternoon and evening."

Catterall expressed her concern for the cacophony affecting the elderly, highlighting: "It's great fun, but people are cursing and swearing. If you're 91, in a care home and hearing that, it's not very nice."

She went on to describe the situation as tantamount to harassment: "What it amounts to is bullying, forcing them to listen to it."

She further underscored the plight of the local care home residents subjected to the noise, painting a grim picture: "They will be putting it next to 115 elderly people who are sick and dying. They have dementia, Alzheimer's, cancer - all sorts. They have to listen to this banging."

Commenting on the suitability of the sport within their neighbourhood, she noted: "It's a new sport but they're trying to fit it into a suburban environment, and it doesn't suit it."

Catterall also remarked on the loud impact of the sport, saying: "Everyone talks about them sounding like gunshots. When those rackets bash against the plexiglass it's an incredible noise."

Detailing the frequency of play, she added: "They start at 9am in the morning, they finish at 9pm at night. There will be 16 people hitting the ball at the same time on all the different courts."

With a touch of hyperbole, she quipped: "There will be more shots fired than at the O.K. Corral."

Highlighting the omnipresence of the issue, she said: "The court shouldn't be there. We're not complaining about one random party one evening, it's like a party all day, everyday, forever."

Sharing her personal anxiety over the matter, Catterall confessed: "It's going to be awful for me; it's my back garden, but it's going to be much worse for our neighbours."

Brenda Catterall, a great-grandmother and retired telephonist besieged by errant balls and intruding players remarked resentfully on the ruckus: "They're wanting lights and three padel courts - but the noise from the one padel court is terrible."

Local resident's dismay is palpable as concerns over noise pollution rise with the prospect of four new tennis courts in their neighbourhood. "I don't know what the noise will be like from four," one resident fretted, pointing to the history of disturbances stemming from the tennis facilities already present.

"After 11-and-a-half years living here they have offered to put a net up as they get a lot of balls coming over, but that's it," the resident elaborated on the token gesture made by facility managers in light of ongoing issues.

Complaints of ball intrusion were also aired: "The fence is broken and the players often lift it up to get into the garden to get the balls. I've had the balls coming over for seven years."

The apprehension escalates with the introduction of tournaments: "They've got lights and then there's the traffic. Then they're going to have tournaments. There's going to be parking all up our close, it'll be dangerous."

Concerns extend to the local road infrastructures: "Highbridge Road is already filled with cars. If they have a tournament for 100 people, where are all the cars going to park?".

Safety worries are echoing through the community, especially near educational establishments: "There's the grammar school just up the road which there could be an accident there."

The intensity of the situation is likened to an auditory onslaught: "It's like gunshots, bang bang constantly."

And fears further illuminate as talk turns to increased lighting: "Then the lights, if they put more lights up it'll be horrific. They're bright now and the lights can shine into all of our bungalows."

The pressure on the residents mounts: "It's going to be unbearable to live here. The property price drop is just an addition. The main thing is the noise and the lights."

Adding her voice to the fray, 85 year old Janice Baker expressed her dismay: "It makes such a din. It's ridiculous.”

She foresees significant lifestyle impediments: "We wouldn't be able to open our window in the summer. It will be like an Amazon warehouse at the back of our house."

Meanwhile, the club has its own plans to expand, submitting proposals for three new courts due to the high demand for its single court built in 2017.

Furthermore, advancements include a proposed 6.7 metre LED lighting system and the refurbishment of older tennis courts, replacing them with modern padel sections.

The game, which hails from Mexico and emerged in the late 1960s, is played by four individuals on a compact court surrounded by glass walls.

Club secretary Peter Whatson expressed his enthusiasm for the club's progress: "This is a really exciting development for the club which will also bring great benefits to the wider community."

He stressed the importance of innovation for the club's survival: "As a sports club we have to work hard and continually look forward to ensure our future viability, and it is critical that we remain relevant."

Whatson highlighted the sport's growing popularity: "Padel tennis is the fastest-growing racket sport in the world, and it needs to be part of our offering, offsetting the 22 per cent decline in squash and tennis membership over the last ten years."

The club, which recently marked its 100th anniversary since its inception in 1922, has seen numerous enhancements to its infrastructure, including new courts, indoor facilities, and clubhouse improvements. Whatson noted the longevity of their equipment: "All the courts are now floodlit with many of these lights dating back 40 years - somewhat longer than most of our neighbours have lived here."

He reiterated the necessity for the club to evolve: "You will appreciate that as a sports club we have to work hard and continually look forward to ensure our future viability and it is vital that we remain relevant."

The urgency to adapt is clear as Whatson pointed out: "There's no doubt that padel tennis is the fastest growing sport in the world and it needs to be a part of our offering - offsetting the decline in squash and tennis membership over recent years."

The club currently boasts one open-air padel court, installed in 2017, which has become so popular that members and the public often struggle to secure playing time.

According to a spokesperson from the Lawn Tennis Association: "Whilst we are unable to comment on specific planning applications, padel is a rapidly growing sport that offers people the opportunity to get active in a social setting."

The spokesperson further mentioned, "We would always encourage venues to work an acoustic consultant to locate and design courts that mitigate noise for neighbouring properties."

The LTA also suggested, "As part of this process the LTA recommends engaging the local community throughout the development/planning process to enable the construction of courts that benefit the local community."

The proposed plans will be reviewed by Birmingham City Council in the coming weeks.