The Padel Champions: Planning success for new Padel courts at the Georgians Tennis Club

WEA Planning were contacted by the Georgians Tennis Club to convert 3 of their tennis courts to 4 Padel courts, increasing the variety of the sport on offer at the club and bringing new members of the local community into the facilities. Alongside the introduction of Padel to the club’s offering, the Georgians hoped to improve the existing gym and clubhouse buildings through improved windows and cladding.

Crouch End Playing Fields is home to many sports grounds, including North Middlesex Cricket Club, Crouch End Cricket Club, and Highgate Cricket and Lawn Tennis Club. There is currently no provision for Padel in the local area. The area is also surrounded by woodland, such as the neighbouring Queen’s Wood.

Padel has smaller courts than tennis and they are enclosed in part glass and part mesh fencing. Due to the smaller courts, the club can provide an additional court. Padel has greater opportunities for community benefit and is viewed as a more accessible sport than tennis. The courts would be available for at least 40 hours a week on a pay-and-play basis, open to the wider community, not just club members. This will offer plenty of opportunities for local players to access the sport.

The playing fields are designated Metropolitan Open Land, which has the same protection as Green Belt and therefore the openness of the site is an important part of the characteristic of this designation. The proposed mesh fencing around the Padel courts is lower than the existing fencing around the tennis courts, so we were able to demonstrate the Padel courts maintained the openness and permeability of the site.

We recently wrote a blog post on the very special circumstances for Watford FC to secure planning permission for covered pitches within the Green Belt which showed the promise of the community benefit of these all-weather facilities.

We worked with Jeff Kahane Architects as well as other topic specialists. The Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) confirmed their support for increasing Padel provision, and Sport England did not raise an objection to the scheme, given several disused tennis courts in the wider Crouch End Playing Fields that are expected to come back into use. The project enhances the sport offering in this part of North London.

The site is also designated as a grade 1 Site of Nature Conservation (SINC). We instructed specialists to undertake a lighting assessment, preliminary ecological assessment, and tree report who determined that there were no negative environmental impacts from the development. The proposals also include some additional planting, improving the environmental and visual quality of the public realm on the site.

The existing tennis courts had 7m high flood lights, we proposed to reduce the height to better suit Padel and change these to LED. The angle of the lights aims to minimise light pollution and preserve the surrounding woodland for nature.  

As a result of our efforts, LB Haringey found the proposals in accordance with the local and national policies, with no more harmful effect on the natural environment or openness of the MOL than the current tennis courts and lighting. We are looking forward to seeing the local benefit these courts will bring soon!