Queensferry Sports Community Hub plans to build new covered padel tennis court unveiled

Plans to bring Europe’s fastest growing sport to South Queensferry have been unveiled, with a planning application submitted for a canopy covered padel tennis court.

Queensferry Sports and Community Hub at Ashburnham Road has applied for permission to build the new facility on the site of a currently underused standalone five-a-side football pitch at the hub.

Stock photo of Queensferry Sports and Community Hub, taken in 2016. By Alistair Pryde. | Alistair Pryde

The non-profit organisation also provides a seven-a-side pitch, a full size pitch with three five-a-side pitches available across it, and three tennis courts.

The hub hopes to build this new padel tennis court to capatalise on the growing tennis club at the South Queensferry sports centre.

Queensferry Sports and Community Hub manager Allan Carson hopes to receive planning permission for the new padel tennis court, which is expected to cost around £200,000.

Queensferry Sports and Community Hub manager, Alan Carson. Photo by Alistair Pryde. | Alistair Pryde

“We have got a vibrant tennis club here which just celebrated its 10th anniversary, so we have been looking at paddle tennis and other clubs in Edinburgh that offer this sport, which is apparently the fastest growing sport in Europe just now.

“It’s a really fun sport for all ages. Other clubs have told us that once we get this in we will get more people in playing as it’s more fun and accessible than regular tennis.

“With the walls around the side of the court meaning players of all abilities can have fun playing, and not just chasing after tennis balls all the time.

“Hopefully this planning application is approved and we can offer another sport to the community for them to enjoy, of all ages and abilities.”

The plans lodged with the City of Edinburgh Council for a new covered paddle tennis court in South Queensferry. | Council

Speaking in more detail about the proposed site for the new covered paddle tennis court, Allan added: “The standalone five-a-side pitch we have is currently underused so we thought that would be the best spot for paddle tennis. We had been thinking about using the space between our beer garden and tennis courts, but that’s a nice open space and a bit of a community space with family fun days etc.

“We were going to put in a paddle tennis court application without the canopy, but with our weather we decided to get it covered.

“It’s exciting proposals. If we get the go ahead we are sure it will bring a lot more people into the hub. We are a charity and a non-profit organisation so any money we make all goes back into offering sports facilities for the community.

“This covered paddle tennis court will cost roughly £200,000. We are hoping to get funding from sports bodies when and if we get planning permission.”

The former council sports facility in South Queensferry was taken on by Queensferry Rugby Club in 2011 and has been run by the registered Queensferry Sports and Community Hub charity since 2013.