Sunderland City Council has refused permission to convert an empty industrial unit in Washington into a padel centre, echoing concerns from a similar deferred proposal in Gateshead last week. Submitted last October, the plans aimed to tap growing demand for the sport but were rejected to protect a designated Key Employment Area.
Plans to repurpose a vacant industrial unit on Crowther Road in Washington's Crowther Industrial Estate into an indoor padel centre have been rejected by Sunderland City Council. Padel, a racquet sport similar to tennis played in an enclosed court where the ball can rebound off walls, is growing rapidly in the North East, typically in doubles but with singles options available.
Washington South councillor Brandon Feely (Labour) supported the proposal: "This will be an important feature to Washington, as many courts have appeared elsewhere across Tyne and Wear and County Durham. We must support any efforts to promote healthy exercise but also when there is a clear demand for additional Padel Tennis courts."
However, the council's decision last week prioritised preserving employment land, stating: "The proposed change of use would result in the loss of employment land within a designated Key Employment Area."
This rejection follows Gateshead Council's recent deferral of a similar padel and pickleball facility proposal at Team Valley Trading Estate, where officers raised parallel issues despite public support. The North East already has padel venues in Gateshead, Sunderland, Benton, South Shields, and Hexham, with Project Padel's upcoming warehouse in Longbenton poised to be the UK's first purpose-built site, featuring a clubhouse, café, bar, and event spaces.
The cases underscore tensions between recreational sports growth and industrial land protection in the region.