Plans to transform empty Nottingham warehouse into exciting 'city first' venue scrapped

The plan related to 15 Little Tennis Street, Sneinton, which has been empty for a while
-Credit:Google


Plans to transform a vacant Nottingham warehouse into a new type of sporting venue for the city have been withdrawn. The ambitious plans for the building, located at 15 Little Tennis Street, Sneinton, to house the city's first indoor padel tennis set-up were first submitted to Nottingham City Council in November last year.

The proposals featured 10 courts, available for use year-round, as well as a changing room, lounge area and other key facilities. The vacant building was set to undergo a facelift with repainting and new signage, subject to a separate planning application, cited in the plans lodged by Advantage Padel Ltd.

However, a notice issued by Nottingham City Council on Wednesday, January 29, explained the plan had been withdrawn at the request of the applicant. In its planning documents, Advantage Padel stated the now seemingly abandoned proposal could "complement and enhance the existing offer of sporting facilities in this part of Nottingham."

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No reason has been given for the withdrawal of the planning application - Nottingham City Council and Advantage Padel have both been approached for comment. Advantage Padel previously said the earmarked site, which comprises a warehouse and offices, had been been on the market since January 2024 but had not attracted any interest from industrial occupiers.

The company said this was partly due to it being hard to access using large vehicles, as its narrow access road only allows for limited manoeuvring space to the rear of the site where the loading bays are located. Advantage Padel's now pulled application had cited the sport's growing popularity, adding: "There are no known indoor padel facilities in Nottingham and, therefore, the proposed development would provide a significant contribution to the city."

In 2022, a number of outdoor padel courts opened at Nottingham's Padel Centre situated next to Meadow Lane. The four-court, all-weather facility was opened Magpies owners Alexander and Christoffer Reedtz and was met with an encouraging response as more than 400 people took advantage of the chance to play for free.

The racket sport combines tennis, squash, and badminton - often played on a small, enclosed court, about a third the size of a tennis court, with glass walls. The sport originated in the 1960s in Mexico and is projected to grow exponentially.