Accrington looks set to be getting its first Padel Courts

Accrington Stanley Community Trust has applied for planning permission for the new outdoor courts for the sport, likened to a mixture of tennis and squash.

The outdoor floodlit courts at its Thorneyholme Road site would be the first in the town.

Subject to planning approval, construction is scheduled to commence in early 2026, with the courts opening to the public in spring/summer 2026.

The Trust’s application to Hyndburn Council also includes a proposal for a replacement snack hut.

How the proposed snack hut may look (Image: Hyndburn Council)

Supporting statements say: “The application site is within the grounds of Accrington Stanley Community Trust (ASCT) sports hub, located to the North-West of the existing 3G pitch.

“The whole site currently facilitates a main sports hub building, multiple outdoor pitches of different sizes, in addition to associated parking and spectator viewing areas.

“Both pedestrian and vehicular access to the site is off Thorneyholme Road.

“The two proposed padel courts will add more diverse activity for the users of the sports hub.

“This application also seeks approval for a replacement prefabricated snack hut to be positioned adjacent to the existing 3G pitch, to add to the facilities available and increase revenue for the trust.

“The Trust is proposing to develop two new covered and floodlit outdoor padel courts at Stanley Sports Hub.

“These would represent the first padel facilities in Accrington, providing residents with access to one of the fastest-growing sports in the UK.

“The padel courts are designed to national padel court size standards and are proposed to be used throughout all seasons, with the design including a canopy to help facilitate this.

“The structures will be prefabricated off-site.

“The development will transform an unused edge-of-site area into two state-of-the-art padel courts, making productive use of underutilised space and further enhancing the Hub’s community offering.

“The padel courts will be managed directly by Accrington Stanley Community Trust as part of the wider operations at Stanley Sports Hub.

“Bookings will be available to the general public through the Trust’s existing online system.

“The snack hut is proposed as part of the Football Foundation Grant, under the Catering Unit Fund.

“The modular hut will provide facilities to serve up refreshments to both fans and players on match days, in addition to improving user and spectator experience in engaging with community sports.

“The overall appearance will be bespoke to match ASCT branding.

“Following a biodiversity net gain assessment, the scheme is subject to providing a 10 per cent net gain.

“An area of overgrown land is proposed to be enhanced through wildflower grassland and the planting of nine trees.”