All proposed Peterborough padel courts amid rise in planning applications

The city does not currently have any padel facilities, but this will soon change with the sport’s popularity growing rapidly across the country.

Padel combines elements of tennis and squash, and is typically played in doubles on an enclosed court around 25 per cent smaller than a tennis court.

It has the same scoring system as tennis, but the courts have walls, so shots can be played off them.

More than 400,000 adults and juniors in Great Britain played padel at least once in 2024, up from 129,000 in 2023.

There are currently three active planning applications for padel courts in Peterborough, with a fourth having recently been approved.

Stanground

Alan Jordan who runs Padel Peterborough received planning permission in July to convert four unused tennis courts, next to Powerleague in Stanground, into five new padel courts and three smaller pickleball courts.

When built, the padel courts would likely become the first of their kind in the city.

Sport England supported the application and said that the proposal for an outdoor facility for sport would be of “sufficient benefit to the development of sport as to outweigh the loss of the tennis courts”.

According Mr Jordan’s plans, the existing club house will provide toilets and welfare facilities. Players will also arrive dressed to play, meaning no changing facilities would be required.

The use of the courts will be restricted to between 8am and 8pm every day of the week.

Mr Jordan believes the social side to padel is what makes it so popular.

He said: “Many more people can learn about the game in a shorter period of time. The laborious thing of picking up a tennis ball is a lot more challenging than that of padel.

“It is a skilled game, as any racket sport, but more people are willing to participate because they don’t have to spend as much time trying to perfect the game in order to play at a competitive level.”

City council planners said the courts must be built within three years.

Burghley Park Golf Club

A company named Padel X submitted a planning application to Peterborough City Council in February to construct two padel courts in the car park area of Burghley Park Golf Club.

The application was withdrawn in March in order to make a small number of tweaks recommended by planning officers. This followed an objection from a tree officer who raised concerns over the “unacceptable” loss of seven trees to build the courts.

A fresh application went in on June 9, with the proposed site moved further to the north west in order to avoid the loss of existing established trees and landscaping.

Padel X claimed the new courts would provide a “strategic opportunity” to diversify the golf club’s offerings.

The company also claimed the courts would improve footfall and visitors to the area, benefitting the wider local economy and community.

Peterborough One Retail Park

Plans were submitted in June for four new padel courts which would be located opposite the Aldi supermarket at Peterborough One Retail Park on Eye Road.

The site lies within the car park of the demise and ownership of the Blue Diamond garden centre.

In his application, James Jones stated that the courts would “offer all year access to a fun and healthy activity and provide a positive impact on the area”.

Each of the four padel courts would be 20m x 10m in size, enclosed by black powder coated metal posts with open mesh panels at the sides and floodlights.

The courts would be accessed via an automated wi-fi controlled keypad gate system. Players would book online and receive a code to access the courts.

This would also provide automatic control of the low energy LED floodlights which would go on and off in line with bookings

Plans stated that parking was “not seen as an issue” due to the “multitude of car parking spaces at the retail park”.

Lincoln Road

The most recent proposal for padel courts in the city was submitted by Smash Haus Padel Ltd on August 5, and would see four padel courts built in a warehouse at 1184 Lincoln Road.

If approved, the venue would also have a reception, toilets and storage area for nets and kit at ground floor, as well as a small refreshment area for drinks and light snacks.

Smash Haus Padel claimed that the Lawn Tennis Association identified a need for 15 padel courts within Peterborough as there were currently no facilities available.

Planning documents stated: “Given the identified shortfall in provision within the city, the proposal will improve the range of leisure facilities potentially creating the first padel courts available to use within Peterborough.

“This will assist in promoting the image of the city given the high demand for courts and attract visitors to the city who wish to play. ”

The centre would employ four full-time staff members and benefit from a large car park with 95 spaces.

It is proposed that padel sessions would be booked only by the hour between 7am and 10pm Monday to Saturday and between 8am and 9pm on Sundays and bank holidays.

According to the plans, the centre would also offer coaching programmes, including school outreach and inclusive sessions for women and girls, and disability introduction sessions.