The Clearview Indoor Tennis Centre is to be redeveloped and enhanced early in the Millennium.

The Brentwood Council Planning committee agreed at its meeting last week to proposals to build a new six court indoor complex and with it three outdoor courts, fitness centre, indoor and outdoor swimming pools and squash courts.

Clearview owner John Tucker who is a Vice President of the Lawn Tennis Association, cut short his visit to the Wimbledon Championships, last Tuesday, to put his application before the committee.

The application must now go before the DETR, the Government department for final clearance

Mr Tucker was delighted with the decisions, saying "It will provide Brentwood with a Centre of Excellence for tennis and build on the successes already achieved".

Clearview men recently won the Essex Senior Cup and ladies the Essex Junior Cup.

Both teams in the Essex Singles league performed well just missing out on promotion while the ladies in the National Club League retained their Premier division status. "It has been one of our best years for a while" said John Tucker.

The Centre was first opened in 1983 with a farm pig house converted and extended into an indoor centre hosted a Brentwood team in the Mortgage Corporation Indoor tennis league in the 1980's and brought big crowds to the centre to watch top professionals in action.

One of those players was David Felgate (now coach to Tim Henman).

David was one of those who wrote a letter of support to the new proposals.

Success came to Clearview when its ladies team won the Everest National club league in the mid-1990's and Essex Cup and league success has been maintained over the years, including Sarah Sullivan and Helen Crook.

Mark Petchey was another to represent Clearview in the Mortgage Corporation League.

As one of the first indoor centres in the country the centre now needs to move into the new century with a more modern facility.

Further support to the proposal came from Sir Geoffrey Cass (The President of the LTA) and John James (Secretary to the LTA), also from Trevor Brooking as Chair of Sport England. Local clubs in Brentwood also gave their support.

Subject to DETR clearance the redevelopment will take place in the spring of next year.

The centre is still offering summer membership and for details, telephone 01277 811569.

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