Plans for four new padel courts at Blackwell Meadows in Darlington

Padel Project UK has submitted a planning application for four outdoor courts at Blackwell Meadows, the home of Darlington Football Club and Darlington Rugby Club. Padel is a racket sport similar to tennis.

The proposal details plans to build the courts on unused grassland and part of the car park near the site entrance. 

Design drawings of the courts show they will be enclosed in a 4m tall rigid fence with glazed panels at the ends of the courts. A secondary 2m tall chain-link fence will be installed around all the courts to provide security and safe circulation around the courts. 

Blackwell Meadows, Darlington (Image: Sarah Caldecott)

If approved, the site will be marketed to children and adults through after-school sessions and evening classes. Access through schools and holiday camps is also proposed and will be offered on a no-membership policy. 

A statement from the applicant read: “The number of padel tennis courts in Darlington is limited, despite the sport’s popularity currently growing in the UK. Installing four padel courts would increase sports participation and community involvement. It would also enable the operator to run social events, social play, coaching, and tournaments.

“The plan is to work with the local council sports dept and the rugby club to target specific groups in need of access to sports. Girls aged 14-18, disability groups, and those targeted by the council.”

The site is due to be open for seven days a week. 

Design drawings of how the site could look. (Image: Project Padel UK)

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Padel Project UK said the current car park at Blackwell Meadows is not fully utilised in the area and will not harm the site as they have a large overflow car park to the north of the site. 

The existing access road will also be moved to the south of the site, according to the proposal. 

The planning application is due to be considered by Darlington Borough Council later this year.