Plans to build three new padel courts at a popular Solihull gym have been given the official go-ahead by local planning authorities.
Planning Permission Granted for Sport's Surge
On Monday, December 1, Solihull Council's head of planning, Mark Andrews, issued a formal decision notice granting permission for the project. The application, numbered PL/2025/01528/PPFL, was submitted by David Lloyd's Solihull Cranmore gym in August 2025.
The national gym chain sought to convert two of its existing tennis courts at the Cranmore Boulevard site into three dedicated padel courts. One of these new courts will be covered, and the facility will include floodlighting to allow for evening play.
Responding to a National Phenomenon
The development is a direct response to the explosive growth of padel in the United Kingdom. According to the Lawn Tennis Association (LTA), participation has skyrocketed from just 15,000 players in 2019 to an impressive 400,000 in 2025, cementing its status as one of the nation's fastest-growing sports.
Padel is a racquet sport that blends elements of tennis and squash, played on a court that is approximately 25 times smaller than a standard tennis court. In its planning documents, David Lloyd described padel as "easy to play, fun and extremely sociable," positioning themselves at the forefront of this sporting revolution. The company is in the process of adding padel facilities to over 50 of its locations across the UK.
Noise Assessment Provides Reassurance
A key consideration for planners was the potential impact of noise on local residents. To address this, David Lloyd commissioned a professional noise assessment from Hepworth Acoustics Ltd.
The report concluded that noise from the courts, which will operate during the club's standard hours (weekdays 7am to 10.30pm and weekends 7am to 9pm), is not anticipated to cause any adverse impact on the neighbourhood. The assessment found that the proposed glass screens and existing boundary fencing provided sufficient noise mitigation, meaning no additional measures were deemed necessary.
With planning conditions now satisfied, work can begin on transforming the Shirley site, bringing the rapidly expanding sport of padel to more enthusiasts in the Solihull area.
