Ibstock Place School Submits Plan for Padel Courts
Would be first facility for the fast growing sport in Roehampton
An example of the modular canopy design proposed at the site from planning documents
March 11, 2026
Ibstock Place School has submitted a planning application for three covered padel courts on its playing fields in Roehampton. The plans describe a scheme that would introduce the first padel facilities in Roehampton and respond to what the school calls significant unmet demand across London.
The courts would be built on existing school sports land to the east of the Jebb Auditorium, in an area already surrounded by pitches, university sports buildings and multi-use games areas. The proposal states that the development has been designed to sit comfortably within this established recreational zone, avoiding impact on nearby trees and maintaining distance from the closest residential properties, including a school bungalow and the University of Roehampton’s Aspen House student accommodation.
Padel, a hybrid of tennis and squash played on a smaller enclosed court, has grown rapidly in the UK in recent years. The Lawn Tennis Association formally adopted the sport in 2019, and participation has risen from 6,000 players and 125 courts to nearly 90,000 players and 250 courts by 2022. The school’s planning statement notes that demand continues to outstrip supply and that the LTA’s national strategy aims to increase the number of courts to 1,000 by 2026. The school argues that the new facility would help meet this demand while offering a new, accessible sport for pupils, university students and local residents.
Each court would measure 20 metres by 10 metres and be enclosed by metal posts, clear toughened glazing and mesh panels. The courts would be covered by modular canopies with white membrane roofs and green side panels designed to blend with the surrounding landscape. The canopies would reach nine metres in height to allow for competitive play and lob shots, and would be constructed by Fordingbridge PLC, whose director authored the national code of practice for padel court construction. The membrane material is designed to allow daylight in while preventing light spill, reducing the need for artificial lighting during the day.
The courts would be floodlit for evening use, with downward-facing LED lights integrated into the court frames. A Lighting Impact Assessment states that the design meets the standards required for recreational padel and would not cause adverse effects for nearby homes. Lights would switch off automatically when courts are not in use and would not operate after 10pm. A Noise Impact Assessment has also been carried out, assessing the potential impact on Aspen House and the school caretaker’s bungalow. The report notes that the courts would operate between 8am and 10pm and that the surrounding area already contains sports lighting, university buildings and other activity. The assessment concludes that the development would not give rise to significant noise impacts.
The planning statement emphasises the social and community benefits of the scheme, arguing that the courts would support physical activity, wellbeing and inclusive participation. The school says the facility would be accessible to players of all ages and abilities and would complement existing sports provision at both Ibstock Place School and the University of Roehampton. The courts would be available for public booking through a digital system, with the school expecting peak footfall of between twelve and thirty people, including players and spectators.
The site lies close to Grove House, a Grade II* listed villa set within a registered historic landscape. The Heritage Impact Statement concludes that the padel courts would not harm the significance of the heritage asset, noting that the development sits outside the core historic garden layout and within an area already characterised by modern educational and sports buildings. The report states that the proposal preserves the setting of Grove House in accordance with national heritage legislation and planning policy.
If approved, construction would begin in spring or summer 2026, with groundworks expected to take six to eight weeks. The school says the courts would be built to national standards and maintained through weekly inspections and regular upkeep of the playing surface.
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