Plans to upgrade Odd Down Sports Ground in Bath have finally received the green light — but without the city’s much-anticipated first padel courts. The Bath and North East Somerset Council approved a major refurbishment including a pavilion extension for a new gym, a mini cycle track, and improved lighting for the 3G pitch. However, all proposals to include padel courts were removed following sound-related objections.
The council’s initial plan, which featured padel courts, was rejected by its own planning committee in June 2024. Members described the court noise as akin to “Chinese water torture,” raising serious concerns about the impact on nearby residents. Padel, a rapidly growing sport similar to squash but played with a solid racquet, has surged in popularity globally and especially since the Covid-19 lockdowns. Yet, Bath remains without any dedicated courts due to repeated planning refusals.
In the revised and now approved plans, an area has been marked as a potential future site for padel courts. A separate application will be submitted to revisit the possibility of adding these courts at a later date.
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This isn’t the first time Bath has spurned padel proposals. In 2024, another attempt to build courts at Lansdown Tennis Club was dismissed on grounds that the “gunfire-like” noise could negatively affect neighbors’ mental health—a decision upheld on appeal.
Despite these setbacks, there is hope the city’s first dedicated padel courts might soon appear at the University of Bath. Their campus development plans for a new student accommodation complex include proposals for two padel courts, potentially bringing the sport to Bath in the near future.