THREE trees may be felled to make way for a new tennis court at Skelton Hall which is to be built over a "dilapidated and unused outdoor pool".

An application has been sent to the City of York Council for permission to fell the trees and build the tennis court over the existing outdoor swimming pool at the 19th-century Grade II-listed late Georgian country house, north of York.

In the application letter, Oliver Leonard, for the Hall, said: "The proposed site of the tennis court is on the southern boundary of the site, separated from neighbouring properties by an existing brick wall approximately 4.5m in height.

"The site currently has an outdoor swimming pool that is currently unused and in need of significant repairs to bring it back to a functioning state.

"The proposals will see the swimming pool removed and a new permeable Macadam tennis court laid over that will also form a multi-functional hard surface for other outdoor sports.

"As part of the proposals it will be necessary to remove three trees (yew, hawthorn and plum tree, graded C2). The proposals also include minor lifting of the Wellingtonia to improve the shape.

"The proposals are not considered to harm the significance of the setting of the listed building and will be an improvement on the current dilapidated outdoor pool that is unused."

Set in five acres, it is believed that the gardens at the Hall were laid out at the time the house was constructed, and were designed by John Meikle, a student of Capability Brown. The gardens feature lawns and a lake.

During the Second World War the hall was requisitioned by the RAF. After the war it was regarded as too large for contemporary living and was divided into two separate properties. In 1997 the individual owners of both wings decided independently to market their houses and as a result a single owner was found.

In 2015, The Press reported Skelton Hall near York, on the market at £2.95 million. Right Move has its last sale date as 2001 when it sold for £1,575,000.

For more planning applications, visit: planningaccess.york.gov.uk/