PLANS for new padel ball courts at a Basildon sports centre are set to get the green light from councillors.

The proposals are by PadelStars Limited and include the relocation of an existing storage compound, with five storage containers and the construction of a padel ball tennis facility with four courts at the Basildon Sporting Village, off Cranes Farm Road, Basildon.

Basildon Council's planning committee is set to agree on the plans at a meeting next Wednesday (July 24). The plans show three of the proposed courts would be contained under a roof canopy structure, and if agreed, there would also be a club hut to provide light refreshments and secure storage for the operator.

The proposed courts would measure 20 metres long by 10 metres wide and be enclosed by 3 to 4-metre-high glass and weld mesh walls. Each court would incorporate floodlighting columns to a height of 6 metres integrated into the corners of the courts.

Basildon Sporting Village is a Basildon Council-owned sporting facility operated by Everyone Active. The centre offers an Olympic-sized swimming pool, gymnastics centre and athletics track amongst other facilities including tennis and netball courts football and hockey pitches and bowling greens.

The council officer's report ahead of the meeting says: "The proposed padel ball court facility would not cause significant harm to the recreational or amenity value of the open space, or to the limited contribution which it makes to the character of the area, comprising an underused hardstanding and storage compound, viewed within the existing cluster of fence enclosed sports pitches, courts and facilities against the backdrop of the Basildon Sporting Village leisure centre, in accordance with Saved Basildon Local Plan Policy.

"It would have no adverse impact on neighbouring amenity or highway safety and a small section of low amenity hedgerow to be removed would be replaced by a greater extent of new native hedgerow to compensate for its loss. The development would encourage physical activity among the local population, promote social interaction and support healthy lifestyles whilst diversifying the sporting offer available at the Basildon Sporting Village, in accordance with the supporting healthy communities objectives of the national planning policy framework."