Council leaders have approved a £1 million investment to build six covered padel courts at Southampton Outdoor Sports Centre.
The scheme will repurpose three existing tennis courts to create permanent padel courts under a canopy, with LED floodlighting.
Southampton City Council said the project, which is separate from the £38 million redevelopment of the Outdoor Sports Centre, would respond to rising demand, increase use of the centre and provide income throughout the year.
Toqeer Kataria, Labour councillor responsible for leisure, said: “This is about continuing to invest in our leisure facilities, getting more people active and making sure that our leisure offer responds to changing demand.”
The scheme requires planning permission. An application is set to be submitted in December, with the courts expected to be open in June 2027.
Council officers have engaged with the Lawn Tennis Association (LTA), Netball England and local netball leagues as part of the plans.
According to the local authority's business case, there were more than 50,000 active padel players in the UK, while the number of courts has grown by 300 per cent over the past three years.
The senior councillor said covering the courts would allow them to be used throughout the year, rather than relying on suitable weather, which would help reduce seasonal fluctuations in income.
Cllr Kataria said: “Padel courts are smaller than tennis courts, allowing us to provide more playing capacity within the same footprint.”
He added: “This is an investment to save and also income generation that supports the wider direction of our leisure transformation programme and also our leisure strategy to get people active and give further opportunities with sports in Southampton.”
The Outdoor Sports Centre will retain two covered courts, five outdoor courts marked for both tennis and netball, and an additional outdoor tennis court.
Conservative group leader Peter Baillie suggested looking at adding another sport, pickleball, at council leisure centres.
Cllr Baillie said: “Pickleball was the fastest growing sport last year by percentage and also with pickleball it is a very simple court and it is very simple equipment and simple means cheap.”
He said Chamberlayne Leisure Centre, which has a large amount of land, could be considered for future provision.
Cllr Kataria said the council could consider a future investment in pickleball.
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