Local government officials have extolled the grounds of a tennis and a bowling club as an "oasis", after the clubs were granted 99-year leases on the land.

Under terms agreed to by Oakham Town Council at its meeting on September 9, pending legal approval, both Oakham Tennis Club and Oakham Bowling Club are entitled remain on their premises until the next century for a "peppercorn" rent of £100 each per year.

According to the council's report, the leases were proposed to "secure the futures" of both clubs, while protecting the land and relieving the council of financial responsibility.

In response to the decision, Rutland County Councillor Raymond Payne (Lib Dem, Oakham South), commended Oakham Town Council, describing the site as a "charming and relatively untouched oasis, amidst nearby development".

"It is hard to disagree with his perspective," Oakham Town Mayor Martin Brookes said on Coun Payne's response. "Describing the site as an "oasis" feels entirely fitting, especially given the intense wave of regional expansion and large-scale housing developments transforming the wider landscape around Oakham."

"If granted, the leases would safeguard a community asset and granting a long-term framework secures the future of grassroots sports, ensuring generations of local residents can continue using the facilities.

"Against the backdrop of rapid overdevelopment, keeping this green pocket intact protects the traditional, community-focused identity of Oakham South.

"It would also provide stability after uncertainty, following the earlier feasibility proposals regarding the land at The Vale, a 99-year commitment puts to rest worries about the clubs being uprooted or the space sold off."

Download our Nub News App!

- It’s FREE and available now
- Breaking news notifications
- Your Town in Your Pocket

It was revealed earlier this year that Oakham Town Council had held private discussions over selling the land to make way for housing, following a surveyors report exposing the need for costly repairs around the grounds.