Plans to transform vacant Ellesmere Port warehouse into Slazenger padel club
A VACANT warehouse building is the subject of plans to create a Slazenger Padel Club location in Ellesmere Port.
By Chester Standard
Plans have been submitted to turn a vacant Ellesmere Port warehouse into a new Slazenger Padel Club with indoor courts, pickleball courts and leisure facilities.
Plans have been put forward to transform a vacant warehouse in Ellesmere Port into a new Slazenger Padel Club.
The proposal would bring a major indoor racket sports venue to Northside 45 in Ellesmere Port, with Slazenger Padel listing the site as its planned Liverpool - Ellesmere Port club.
According to Slazenger Padel’s own club listing, the venue is expected to include 12 indoor padel courts and two pickleball courts.
The site is also listed with facilities including a bar, changing rooms, coaching, parking, a shop, warm-up area and Wi-Fi.
If approved, the development would bring a new leisure use to a vacant warehouse building and add to the growing popularity of padel in the UK.
Padel is a racket sport usually played in doubles on an enclosed court. It combines elements of tennis and squash, with the walls forming part of the game.
The sport has grown quickly in recent years, with new clubs opening across the country and operators looking for large indoor spaces that can be converted into courts.
Warehouse buildings are often attractive for indoor padel because they can provide the height, floor space and parking needed for multiple courts.
However, converting an industrial or warehouse building into a leisure venue can require planning permission, particularly where there is a change of use, new signage, changes to opening hours, parking demand or noise considerations.
Planning guidance for padel developments says local authorities commonly assess issues such as access, parking, nearby residents, lighting, noise, building suitability and whether employment land is being lost.
For Ellesmere Port, the proposal could bring a new use to a vacant building while adding another activity venue for residents, workers and visitors.
It could also create jobs if the club opens as planned, with roles likely to be linked to coaching, reception, site management, hospitality, retail and maintenance.
The Chester Standard report says up to 20 new jobs could be created if the plans go ahead.
The proposed Ellesmere Port site is part of a wider Slazenger Padel expansion programme.
Slazenger Padel’s club finder lists several existing and planned clubs across the UK, including Leeds North, Blackburn, Swindon, Milton Keynes, Cardiff, Exeter, Hull, Newport, York, Gillingham and Liverpool - Ellesmere Port.
The operator says it offers courts, coaching and facilities designed for both beginners and more experienced players.
Its website says the Ellesmere Port club is “coming soon”, but the project remains subject to the planning process and any required approvals.
For local residents, the main issues are likely to include parking, traffic, opening hours, noise, and how the new use would fit with surrounding businesses.
For the town, the plans reflect a wider shift in how vacant commercial and warehouse units are being reused, with leisure, fitness and sports operators increasingly looking for large indoor spaces.
If approved, the club would add another leisure destination to the Ellesmere Port area and give residents a new indoor sports option close to home.
Anyone interested in the plans should check the relevant planning documents and Slazenger Padel’s official updates for the latest information before assuming the club is confirmed to open.