David Lloyd Gidea Park plans for padel courts and spa garden

Earlier this month David Lloyd Clubs submitted a planning application to Havering Council for a large scale development at its Gidea Park site.

The plans include the conversion of four existing tennis courts into three padel courts, an outside terrace seating area with booth seating and a TV screen, an external spa garden with a sauna, plunge pools and fire place and a kids play area.

Planning documents include images that show how the development might look if approved by the council.

A planning document claimed padel to be one of the fastest growing sports in Europe (Image: David Lloyd) According to David Lloyd’s design and access statement, padel is a form of tennis that is “easy to play, fun and extremely sociable”.

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

The document claims padel to be one of the fastest growing sports across Europe and as of November 2020, there were around 6,000 active padel players across Britain.

There are also currently 107 padel courts at 52 clubs – a number that is set to grow “substantially” over the coming years.

One of the proposed padel courts will be covered by a canopy (Image: David Lloyd) David Lloyd claims to be “at the forefront” of this revolution in the UK and is now including padel courts across all of its new clubs.

A spokesperson for David Lloyd Clubs told the Recorder: “At David Lloyd Clubs, we’re always looking for ways to enhance our facilities and create new opportunities for members to enjoy their time with us.

“Our proposal for our Gidea Park club includes the introduction of new padel courts, in line with one of the fastest growing sports in Europe, to give members the chance to try something new and social, whilst still making the most of our racquets heritage.

“Alongside this, the addition of outdoor terrace seating and a dedicated kids’ play area will help make the club a welcoming space for the whole family.

A typical pool terrace included in David Lloyd’s planning documents (Image: David Lloyd) “We’re excited about these plans and the benefits they will bring to our members and the wider community.”

The club currently has an indoor spa and has had many requests to improve this facility, according to planning documents.

The proposed outdoor spa garden will be in close proximity to the pool terrace and will be located on one of the existing tennis courts.

Relaxation beds will be added with a hydropool, sauna and additional seating under the existing outdoor pool.

A typical spa garden included in David Lloyd’s planning documents (Image: David Lloyd) The spa garden will be positioned to the south of the the club to maximise sun exposure throughout the day.

The internal spa will be retained and a new path will link the two areas directly.

The kids play area will have wooden structures and the base will be made from a cushioned rubber to provide a safe surface should a child fall over.

A decision is expected to be made on the proposals October 8.