The race is on to open the UK’s first rooftop padel club after planning permission was granted for a high-rise facility in Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands.
Last week, The Padel Paper reported on True Padel’s plans for a padel club with ocean views on top of the Beacon Shopping Centre in North Shields, Tyneside.
That project was billed as the ‘UK’s first rooftop padel club’ — but it may now be beaten to that title.
Visit Royal Sutton Coldfield BID have announced that planning permission has been granted by Birmingham City Council to build four new padel courts on the rooftop of the Gracechurch Shopping Centre multi-storey car park in Sutton Coldfield.
Plans for the club include courts, a clubhouse, a fitness club, a restaurant area and an outdoor terrace. The courts will be enclosed in a 5.2-m net to ensure balls do not escape the rooftop.
Fifteen jobs will be created, and the club will be open seven days a week, expanding options for locals to play padel.
Planning revealed the club would result in the loss of 112 car parking spaces, deemed to be surplus, with more than 500 spaces going spare at all times.
It is not clear when the site will be operational, but with True Padel’s North Shields venue not yet granted planning permission, Sutton Coldfield is favourite to be the first to opens its doors.
Main pic: SAV Group
Will the courts be covered?