Council greenlights padel centre plan in Brierfield after revisions. The Lindred Road site will feature five courts.
Lowood Estates had a plan rejected before. They changed it to meet Pendle Council’s requests. Now they can build five padel courts, and they will also work on the mezzanine level.
The building was unused storage. Previous plans were blocked because of its location, and the council also had parking concerns.
The council changed its mind this time; this means the padel club joins a CrossFit gym. Both offer recreation in that area now.
There are some rules for the new padel center. No more than twenty players can be there at once, and they need a booking system and staggered session times. Fifteen minutes between sessions is required; people need time to leave and arrive.
The car park needs to be completed first. It must have twenty-two spaces, and there must also be a cycle storage area before opening.
Padel is a mix of tennis and squash. You play doubles on a smaller court, surrounded by glass walls. The ball can bounce off these, and you use solid bats, not rackets with strings.
Padel started in Mexico back in 1969. It’s now growing fast in the UK, although it used to be played mostly in Spanish-speaking nations.
Right now, one other place has padel courts: the Ribble Valley Tennis Centre in Clitheroe. Also, Holcombe Brook Sports Club got approved, and they will build new courts in Ramsbottom.
The padel center will create jobs. There will be two full-time and five part-time roles, and this center should help the local economy. It will bring visitors to the area, and they hope to support healthy living.