Padel court scheme for empty unit approved

An empty industrial unit in Calderdale will be converted into four padel courts, after the scheme was approved by the local council.

The venture, on South Lane in Elland, will employ a mixture of full and part-time staff, according to planning documents which detailed the scheme.

A racquet sport originating in Mexico which combines elements of tennis and squash, padel is one of the fastest-growing sports in the UK.

Agents Moreton Deakin Associates told council planners that the unit had been vacant for several months, with no interest from anyone wanting to use it for the storage and distribution space it had previously been.

They added: "This change of use will bring a building that is struggling to be let under its current use forward into use as a community asset."

Minimal alterations will be required to the building's external appearance, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

In a supporting statement, the agents said: "Given its location adjacent to a sports courts and bowling green, the site is considered highly suitable for conversion to an indoor padel centre.

"The proposal will bring it back into productive use, creating local employment opportunities."

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