Six all-weather floodlit courts for where “one of the world’s fastest growing sports” would be played could be coming to east Cheshire.
The padel tennis courts are planned at Buglawton Hall in Congleton, a former boys’ school, part of which is now used to provide residential placements for young people and young adults with mental health difficulties.
While the courts would be used to provide a “valid contribution” to those residing at Buglawton Hall, off Buxton Road, the public could also make use of them.
A planning application for six all-weather courts and floodlighting, following the removal of the existing all-weather sports pitch, has been submitted to Cheshire East Council by a Mrs M Fury.
The residential block was leased last year to Nestlings Care, an independent group registered with the Care Quality Commission and Ofsted to provide specialist therapeutic, residential placements for young people and young adults with mental health difficulties.
A design and access statement with Mrs Fury’s application said the proposed padel courts were intended to make a “valid contribution towards the care provider’s therapeutic approach by encouraging physical exercise, promoting an activity that is accessible to players of all abilities, facilitating social activity and engagement, and generating interest in a new and fast growing sport”.
The application said padel tennis was invented in Mexico in 1969 and was a mix between tennis and squash. A padel court is one third the size of a tennis court and is enclosed to a height of four metres by walls, typically made from a mesh fence, brick/blocks or glass. The game is usually played in doubles and is scored using the same system as tennis.
The ball is allowed to bounce off any wall but can only hit the ground once before being returned.
The statement described padel as a “very social sport”, with points crafted by strategy rather than won by power and strength adding: “The sport is popular for players of all ages, skill and fitness levels, with the proposal expected to particularly appeal to younger players as an alternative to tennis.
“Padel is one of the fastest growing sports in the world, with the proposal responding to increasing demand for padel tennis facilities locally in Cheshire and across the North West.”
The courts will provide a “high quality” sports facility to competition standards.
They will occupy a total area of 1,290sqms. The existing exercise area adjacent to the proposed courts will remain.
Floodlighting would be included to maximise the courts’ use. The courts would be used by Buglawton Hall residents during operating times (term time only), and made available for the general public outside those times on a pre-booked basis.
The management of the booking process will be controlled through an online app and players would receive access codes to the courts through the app. A key pad on the gate to each court will then control access and, when necessary, the floodlighting.
The planning statement said the use of the floodlighting “will not create a significant visual feature, particularly when also considering the screening qualities of the surrounding mature trees and vegetation”.
An accompanying heritage statement said the plans would not affect the grade two listed hall.
The statement said the access arrangements and parking provision were “sufficient and capable” of accommodating the traffic movements and parking demands associated with the proposal, adding that the pubic would only be able to use the courts outside school operating times.
In addition, the statement with Mrs Fury’s planning application explained that the care provider had entered into discussions with her with regard to its occupation of other buildings within the Buglawton Hall complex, to include the hall itself.
Said the statement: “Expansion and occupation will first require a comprehensive scheme of internal refurbishment to the hall, which is currently ongoing. Nevertheless, once complete, the care provision will extend across the majority of the Buglawton Hall site.”
Buglawton Hall was previously owned by Manchester City Council.
A 20-bedroom new residential block building providing accommodation over two floors was built in 2008 for the children from the adjacent school.
It first opened in 1954 catering for children with social, emotional and mental health and severe learning difficulty, going on to close its doors in 2017.
Following the site’s sale, the new residential block was leased to Nestlings Care last year.
The Cheshire East planning reference is 24/2775C. The last date for submitting comments is 12th September with a decision target date of 25th September.
