Next padel proposal served up in Sunderland

Plans for a six-court indoor facility at Offerton Grange Farm have been lodged with a city council fresh from batting away a separate bid to convert space for the sport.

Sited off Offerton Lane, the 20,000 sq ft Offerton Grange Farm proposal comes from Tania Coxon, advised by Padel Plan.

The proposed site is an area of hardstanding, directly north-east of the A19/A183 junction. Accessed from Offerton Lane, it is also close to a bus stop on the Washington-Sunderland route.

As well as six indoor courts, the new building would include a mezzanine floor to allow for ancillary facilities including a seating area for visitors.

Owing to the location of the site, said Padel Plan, the proposed building has been constructed to reflect the agricultural nature of the surroundings and externally will appear as an agricultural barn similar to those already in situ to the north.

#A small car parking area will be included to the north of the building for visitors, who will be directed away from the main farmyard area.

Much like a recent Lake District proposal covered by Place North West this is a farm diversification scheme, put forward by the applicant who represents the fifth generation of her family to run the farm.

As Padel Plan maps out, the farm has diversified before working within different areas of agriculture, but that has become less viable “in the current climate, with significantly increased input costs and reduced crop values, particularly in relation to wheat prices”.

Since being validated in July, the plans have attracted a welter of comment on Sunderland’s planning portal. Although there is some support, many residents have raised concerns over topics such as traffic impact.

Although the site is Green Belt, the project team argue in summing up the case for the scheme that it should be considered as Grey Belt, as it does not contribute to the spread of a built-up area or the joining of towns, and nor does it impact a historic townscape.

Elsewhere, Sunderland City Council has now received vindication from the Planning Inspectorate that its refusal of a separate padel proposal, at Stephenson Industrial Estate in Washington, was justified on the grounds of maintaining the site for employment purposes.

Operator True Padel, however, announced its expansion to occupy 33,000 sq ft at Wessington Retail Park earlier this year.

The Offerton Grange plans, which now await determination, can be seen on Sunderland City Council’s planning portal, with the reference 26/01055/FUL.