Plans for a fourth padel tennis court at Stafford Cricket and Hockey Club have been approved.
Stafford Borough Council granted planning permission for the additional court at the Riverway sports ground on Wednesday 29 July 2026.
The club already has three padel courts, which officially opened on Saturday 18 October 2025. The new approval will allow the existing development to expand to four courts.
The additional court will be built directly next to the current padel facilities and to the west of the club’s cricket nets.
Growing demand since opening
The planning documents say the three existing courts reached an average of 73% capacity during their first winter.
Demand has been particularly high during evenings and weekends, when the facility has regularly been fully booked.
The applicant said schools and colleges are also working with the facility, alongside members of the public. As a result, the fourth court was proposed to provide more playing time and meet increasing demand.
The Riverway venue currently provides the only dedicated padel tennis courts in Stafford Borough, according to the submitted planning statement.
Padel is a racket sport played on a smaller enclosed court using elements of tennis and squash. It is usually played in doubles and the ball can be played after rebounding from the surrounding walls.
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What the new court will include
The approved court will measure around 21 metres by 11 metres.
It will have artificial grass, tempered glass panels and mesh fencing reaching up to four metres in places. Four downward-facing floodlights will also be installed.
A two-metre-high perimeter fence will connect the court to the existing development and the nearby cricket nets.
The court will be built on land next to the existing courts. Planning officers said it would not affect the use or size of the cricket playing pitches.
The club will continue using its existing entrance from Riverway and its main car park, which has space for around 70 vehicles. Three additional spaces for padel users are also shown on the approved plans.
Conditions attached to the approval
The planning permission includes conditions intended to control parking, lighting and biodiversity.
The parking area must be completed before the fourth court is first used. The lighting must also follow the approved plans to limit glare and reduce its effect on nearby properties and roads.
Two trees will be planted near the courts to compensate for the grassland removed by the development.
The site lies within Flood Zone 2. However, the court and pathways will use permeable surfaces, and the Lead Local Flood Authority raised no objection.
Planning officers concluded that the court would increase opportunities for sport without causing unacceptable harm to nearby residents, highways, the appearance of the area or flood risk.
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