Finding sites for padel and leisure operators

Padel sites are often lost on height, footprint, drainage, evening noise or parking before the lease becomes the main question. Rivermark tests those points early across industrial buildings, open land and underused space at tennis, golf and other sports clubs.

The FIP playing court is 10 m by 20 m internally. It requires at least 6 m of unobstructed height and suggests 8 m for new facilities; the LTA's indicative external area for one outdoor court is 20.80 m by 10.80 m before any outer play area. A multi-court venue needs more land for spacing, circulation, access and the parts of the business outside the glass.

Planning a venue? Get the free padel venue property economics guide before comparing sites.

Site physics and operation

• Court count, indoor, covered or outdoor format and whether out-of-court play is planned.
• Measured clear height across the full court zone, including beams, lights, ducts and door tracks.
• A layout that includes enclosure, gaps between courts, player access, reception, welfare and emergency routes.
• Site-specific foundation and drainage design; a canopy can add runoff and an attenuation requirement.
• Evening noise and floodlighting in relation to homes. LTA guidance says specialist surveys are likely where a home is within 50 m.
• Parking at the busiest booking changeover, including any overlap with tennis, golf, hospitality or club events.

Deal, consent and limits

• Lease length, fit-out period, utilities and the approvals needed from a host club, freeholder or head landlord.
• A 10 m by 20 m rectangle on a plan does not prove that the court, structure and circulation can be built.
• A high bay can still fail where the lowest obstruction crosses play.
• Host venues can bring parking, customers and amenities, but committee decisions and shared operations affect timing.

What Rivermark checks first

• Measured plans and a height schedule rather than a headline floor area.
• A court layout against the whole usable site, not only the 10 m by 20 m playing rectangle.
• Nearest homes, proposed hours, lighting position and known planning history.
• Peak-time parking and shared access observed when the host venue is busy.
• The owner, club or agent contact and who can approve a long lease or host agreement.

What to send

• Target towns, drive-time catchment and sites already reviewed.
• Court count, indoor or outdoor preference and minimum clear height.
• Reception, changing, food and drink, office and storage needs.
• Peak booking pattern, parking expectation and proposed opening hours.
• Lease term, host-venue model, fit-out budget and target opening window.

Further reading

• FIP Rules of PadelCurrent court dimensions and unobstructed-height rules.
• LTA Padel Court Construction Guidance NoteUK construction, footprint, drainage, noise and lighting guidance.

Common questions