Council reviews padel plan after backlash from tennis players

A council is to review its plan to replace tennis courts with padel facilities after a backlash from residents and the tennis community.

The Lee Valley Hockey and Tennis Centre in Leyton was built as part of the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park for the 2012 Paralympics and opened to the public in 2014 after a £30 million renovation that included its hockey and tennis centre.

Members of the centre were informed by email in June that it was planning to convert its indoor hall of four tennis courts into seven double and two single padel courts to “grow participation across all ages” and to increase capacity for a range of racket sports.

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About 650 residents signed a petition calling for a reversal of the decision, which was described as “disappointing” by the Lawn Tennis Association (LTA).

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Lee Valley Regional Park Authority (LVRPA), which is part-funded by a council tax levy, did not hold a public consultation before announcing the plan, which was set to cost £490,347.

On Thursday, a committee instead discussed a hybrid approach to the renovations, which would result in two of the indoor tennis courts being converted to padel courts, leaving two for tennis, and the option to convert some outdoor courts for padel.

After hearing from residents and members of the tennis community, the panel voted unanimously to step back from their previous decision. The review is set to take between six and nine months.

Novak Djokovic, the tennis champion, has warned that the traditional sport was at risk from the rise of padel CARL DE SOUZA/AFP/GETTY IMAGES

Kenneth Hoffman, 72, who has played tennis for 65 years and regularly uses the courts, said at the meeting that the indoor courts were “essential”. He added: “The outdoor courts are problematic. Wet and slippery conditions impact my balance and playing outside in high temperatures can be hazardous for my health. There is a diverse community of people who also use these courts. I urge you to preserve them to allow the sport to continue to flourish.”

Tracey Kent, a regular, said it was a “big shock” when she found out the courts were to be repurposed. She said: “Why are we doing this? Why does this need to happen? Tennis is already flourishing and is already profitable. Why not leave it in place? Please leave our tennis courts alone, not only for us but for the future generations of tennis players.”

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Padel is one of the fastest-growing sports in the UK. figures from the LTA suggest that at the end of last year, more than 400,000 adults and juniors had played padel at least once in the preceding 12 months, up from 129,000 at the end of 2023.

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Padel combines elements of tennis and squash. It is typically played in doubles on an enclosed court, which is about a third of the size of a tennis court, and uses solid rackets and depressurised balls. Like squash, the walls are part of the playing area.

Its growth in popularity is being supported by rapidly growing infrastructure and about 893 courts are available across 300 venues in the UK.

The LVRPA said: “In making this decision the authority’s executive committee has listened to many views and, on reflection, realises the authority should have engaged with key groups before considering the padel proposal.

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“Given the huge growth of padel and the health and wellbeing opportunities it brings to a wider community — all consistent with the authority’s statutory remit — the committee has agreed to step back and carry out a more detailed assessment of options for padel and tennis as part of a wider review of future investment on the site.

“The assessment will take a strategic look at facilities on the Eton Manor site, be underpinned by the need to have regional appeal and commercial viability and involve engagement with people who use the venue and other interested parties. Tennis and padel will be fully considered as part of the review. No decision will be taken until the review is complete.”

The LTA said: “We’re glad that the LVRPA has agreed to explore alternative options for development of padel courts on the site. We believe that both tennis and padel can thrive without losing vital indoor tennis facilities. We now look forward to working with LVRPA on their plans.”

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