Community throws support behind padel club which faces closure after retrospective planning refused

Podington Padel, an all-weather padel club on the border of Northamptonshire and Bedfordshire, opened in January this year with two padel courts open to players of a range of abilities.

However, the club says Bedford Borough Council, the local council for Podington, refused the retroactive plans for the club on the basis that the council believed padel courts were more suited as a town centre activity, and would not be ideally located in an out-of-town or edge-of-centre location.

A Podington Padel spokesman said: “Our aim has always been to bring high-quality sporting facilities to a rural area and provide opportunities for people from Podington and the surrounding communities to stay active, socialise and enjoy the sport close to home.

“We believe facilities such as ours have an important role to play in promoting health and wellbeing across the whole borough, not just in the larger towns.”

A revised application was submitted to Bedford Borough Council in May, which has since received more than 140 letters of support, before the consultation and deadline for comments expires on June 30.

While the club faces closure as a result of the refused application, dozens who use the courts have given their support on the new application, calling the club a ‘genuine community asset.’

One member of the club, Karen Ford said: “Over a short period of time, the club has become a genuine community asset, bringing together people of all ages and backgrounds, creating local employment opportunities, supporting women’s sport, and developing plans to work with local schools.

“For many residents, particularly those in rural communities, travelling into Bedford town centre to access sporting facilities, as the council has proposed, is simply not a realistic option. The strength of feeling within the community is clear to see.”

Podington Parish Council has also expressed ‘strong’ support for the application, believing it to be a significant benefit to the village. The parish council argues that the facility, which has been open for six months, makes effective reuse of an agricultural barn, and is ‘a textbook example of sustainable agricultural diversification.’

Bedfordshire Police also had no objection to the revised plans.

Comments on the newly-submitted application are overwhelmingly in support of the club, with just two of the 145 opposing the continued use of Greys Farm in Wymington Road as a padel club.

One commenter said: “I live in Olney and strongly support the planning application for Podington Padel.

“Before these courts opened, there was no local padel facility available to me. Thanks to Podington Padel, I have been able to take up the sport and play regularly without having to travel long distances into larger towns and cities. It has made a genuine difference to my physical health, wellbeing and social life.

“The idea that facilities like this should only be located in town centres completely overlooks the needs of rural communities. Residents in towns such as Olney and the surrounding areas deserve access to quality sporting facilities close to home. Not everyone has the time or ability to travel significant distances several times a week to participate in sport.”

Another added: “Podington Padel is widely supported not only by local village residents but also nearby towns and villages. The courts provide a valuable community sporting facility bringing people together but also creating employment locally.

“It would be ludicrous not to approve this application given the enjoyment it is given to so many people locally.

“The facility is professionally managed by a super team of people that have taken time out to encourage new players to the sport, that has included young and old players and made the whole facility highly inclusive.”

The full application can be found online here, or by searching with the reference 26/00987/S73A on the Bedford Borough Council planning portal.