Council planners have approved plans that will see Penrith join a growing global sporting trend, with plans approved by Westmorland and Furness Council for the development of three padel tennis courts at Newton Rigg.
Padel, is rapidly expanding sport described as a cross between tennis and squash, is known for its fast-paced, tactical gameplay and use of court walls to keep the ball in play. The sport is quick to pick up, combining action with accessibility. Visually, padel balls resemble tennis balls, though with slightly lower internal pressure to reduce bounce. The rackets differ significantly—constructed from a solid, slightly elastic foam-rubber mixture coated in plastic, they give the sport its paddle-like name.
Invented in 1965 in Acapulco, Mexico, padel has since become a widely popular sport across Central and South America and has taken Europe by storm, particularly in Spain, Portugal, Italy, France, Sweden, the Netherlands, and Belgium.
In the UK, the Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) is the recognised governing body for padel and is committed to growing the sport “...by making it accessible, welcoming, enjoyable and inspiring...”
According to the LTA, padel is experiencing impressive growth in Great Britain. Research by the LTA showed that by the end of 2024, more than 400,000 adults and juniors had played padel at least once in the previous 12 months—up from just 15,000 in 2019. The number had risen to 89,000 by 2021 and 129,000 by the end of 2023.
This surge in interest is being supported by a growing infrastructure, with around 900 courts now spread across 300 venues throughout the UK.
The new padel facility at Newton Rigg will be located on a site currently used for short-term storage and distribution, linked to Cumbria’s gigabit broadband rollout that had been former tennis courts.
Andrew Watt, acting as the agent for the application, said:
“The addition of pay-and-play padel courts would provide an entirely new facility, clustered with and complementing the existing sports offer at Newton Rigg. As far as we are aware, it would be the first such facility in the Penrith area.”
Josie Savry, speaking on behalf of Leo Group, the site's owner, said:
“We are delighted to be adding to our already impressive sports facilities at Newton Rigg Estate. We are committed to regenerating the Newton Rigg site for the Cumbrian community.”
“The addition of 3 all weather Padel courts in Eden will allow everyone from across Cumbria to access to this fantastic sport and we hope to start development before the end of the year.”
Planning officer when granting the approval have placed a restitution on the courts operating hours and times lights for the courts can be operated to between 8am and 10pm daily.
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