Gateshead Council's planning committee has postponed a decision on proposals to convert an empty building in Team Valley into a padel and pickleball facility. The application from RDG Leisure Ltd received strong public support but faced recommendations for refusal from council officers. The deferral allows time for further research on the site's suitability in an industrial area.
Plans to repurpose a vacant unit at the Team Valley Trading Estate into a sports venue for padel and pickleball remain undecided following a recent meeting of Gateshead Council’s planning and development committee. The proposal, submitted by RDG Leisure Ltd, aims to invest over £1 million to create a facility that would generate more than 15 permanent local jobs and attract over 1,000 visitors weekly.
The application garnered significant backing, with more than 200 supportive comments submitted via the council’s online planning portal. It also received written endorsements from key figures, including the council’s deputy leader Gary Haley, Lib Dem opposition leader Ron Beadle, and the JJ O’Donnell Elite Football Academy.
Despite this support, council officers advised against approval. They argued that the applicants had not demonstrated a lack of “reasonable prospect” for future industrial use of the unit, nor shown that the facility could not be sited elsewhere.
Richard Williamson, a director of RDG Leisure and a Gateshead resident, emphasized the local benefits during the discussion. “This is not just a business proposal, it’s a local family investing in the borough we call home,” he said. “We are asking to bring a building that has been empty for 16 months back into use... Padel is the fastest growing participation sport in the UK and Gateshead currently has no facility of this scale. There is only a small three-court venue and it cannot meet demand or provide the all day year-round community use a centre of this size can deliver.”
After deliberation, the committee opted to defer the decision. This will give the applicants a chance to conduct additional research justifying the location and allow more time to assess its fit within the predominantly industrial estate.