THE first padel tennis courts in the west of Scotland are being proposed by a Glasgow South Side club.

Newlands Lawn Tennis Club want to build the courts next to main tennis hall in the car park of their Mochrum Road centre.

An extension housing a cafe at the entrance to the building is also proposed.

Padel is a form of tennis described as easy to play, fun and sociable. It is one of the fastest growing sports across continental Europe.

A supporting statement submitted with the planning application explains: “The club are to offer the padel facility to club members and also to the general public on a ‘pay per play’ basis.

“The café will also be available to non-members as a community facility, with the entrance to the members’ club being beyond the café control point. Access through the padel court fence will be by remote access lock.”

Seventy-one parking spaces will still be provided at the site.

What is padel tennis?

Padel is played mainly in a doubles format on an enclosed court about a third of the size of a tennis court. Padel can be played in groups of mixed ages and abilities, as it is not power dominant.

The rules are broadly the same as tennis, although players serve underhand and the walls are used as part of the game with the ball allowed to bounce off them.

As of November 2020 there were around 6,000 active padel players across Britain. There are also currently 100 padel courts at 52 clubs. There is a growing demand for high-quality all-weather facilities.

Padel tennis is supported by the Lawn Tennis Association to make tennis more accessible, to break barriers to entry and grow the game of tennis with the social and fitness benefits that it provides.