Owners of private swimming pool in Yorkshire village told they can no longer open it to the public

East Riding Council’s Western Area Planning Sub-Committee heard that the pool at River View, a private home on High Street, Hook, has capacity for 45 swimmers a day and currently takes 12 bookings a week.

The father of applicant Gemma Harte, who read her statement to councillors, said it was mainly used by Hook residents with medical conditions or as an alternative to public leisure centres.

He added Riverside Pool, which opened in 2018, typically had three bookings Monday to Friday, four on Saturdays and five on Sundays and was not available for drop in visits.

But neighbour Julie Metcalfe, who shares a driveway with the home, said her and others were “devastated” by the retrospective planning application and claimed they were never consulted on its opening.

She added neighbouring residents had lost their privacy, had car headlights shine through their windows at night and that traffic on High Street had gotten “significantly worse” since its opening.

All but one of the committee members voted against the application.

The pool’s opening hours were listed as 8am to 7pm Monday to Friday and until 6pm on Saturdays and Sundays.

Ms Harte’s statement said the pool was a “well regarded” asset, adding claims it drew 34 vehicles an hour and owners planned a spa or hotel there were unfounded.

The statement read: “Sessions must be pre-booked at the pool and the medical or other needs of those using it disclosed.

“A maximum of 10 people are allowed in the pool at one time, with current restrictions each private session has less than eight.

“Lessons operate during term time only and we encourage people to come by foot, we have 15 parking spaces as well as two spares which aren’t used and ones for staff.”

Ms Metcalfe said their shared drive’s opening for pool users meant her daughter, who has hypermobility syndrome causing her joint pain, could no longer ride her bike there safely.

The resident said: “We have a terrible time getting out of our drive and sometimes we have to reverse out into High Street.

“Cars have parked inside our gates if we’ve left them open and we can no longer sit outside because our privacy is gone.

“Neighbours only found out about the pool by accident, we feel we’re being driven out of our family homes.”

Committee member Coun Nick Coultish said the pool was “a step too far”.

He said: “The applicant’s husband is a local parish councillor and is a respected member of Hook society, but objectors have raised serious concerns about this.

“Locals can sometimes hear kids who go there who do get excitable from up to 50 metres away, all these problems add up.”

Coun Leo Hammond said traffic issues related to the site had sent “alarm bells ringing” for him.

He said: “This could cause chaos, to have almost 20 cars going past residents’ homes every day is unacceptable.”

Coun Ben Weeks said the application was “riddled with problems”.

The councillor said: “It’s unfair, this is a residential area and this is a commercial swimming pool, by the same logic does that mean I could open a factory in my back garden or build a car park in it?"