SPORTING phenomenon padel may be coming to Ashton-under-Lyne if planning permission is granted.
For local firm Fusion Padel has applied to Tameside Council to build four courts next to the town’s cricket club.
A large unit placed next to the pitch at Rayner Lane will be main feature of the scheme as it looks to tap into the growing popularity.
And the company, run by Stalybridge-based Ryan Heap and Ashton’s Vishal Patel, believes granting permission for the centre can boost the area’s leisure offer.
Documents supporting the proposal say it, ‘has been carefully designed to integrate with and support the neighbouring cricket club, helping to create a stronger and more diverse sporting hub for the area.’
They add: “The sport is growing rapidly across the UK, yet there is currently limited provision locally.
“Fusion Padel is playing an important role in addressing this gap by investing in a modern, accessible facility that offers residents a new way to be active, social and engaged in sport.
“The facility will increase footfall and visibility across the wider site, creating opportunities for shared events, cross-club collaboration and broader community engagement.”
As well as the main structure, a clubhouse and car parking area would also be created in an area as you enter the Ashton Cricket Club site.
That clubhouse will utilise a repurposed 40ft container and provide space for player check-in, equipment hire, storage, changing facilities and a modest social area.
External seating will also be provided, offering a resting and viewing area for players and spectators visiting the facility.
A separate standalone toilet and shower cubicle facility will also be installed.
Padel’s popularity has been one of the biggest hits of recent times as people play the sport that blends elements of tennis and squash.
Typically played in doubles on an enclosed court measuring 10 metres wide by 20 metres long, players use solid, stringless bats, known as padel rackets.
The ball used is similar to a tennis ball but slightly lower in pressure, producing slower, more manageable rallies.
Once the ball is in play, it may rebound off the walls, adding an extra layer of tactics and the enclosed nature of the court and doubles format make it fast paced.
According to statistics, there are more than 400,000 players in this country after originating in Mexico and being widely played in Spain and Latin America.
However, the closest courts to Tameside are currently being constructed at Tame Valley Tennis and Squash Club in Greenfield.
It is hoped they will be open in February.
Tameside Council’s Speaker’s Panel (Planning) committee, or officers, will decide whether to grant or refuse permission.