Cringleford Tennis Club applies for new courts and clubhouse

Cringleford Tennis Club, in Oakfields Road, has sent a planning application to South Norfolk and Council that could see some major work completed on the site in the next few months.

The club already has four all-weather and two grass tennis courts, but the plans will see the grass courts replaced by a clubhouse, an all-weather court and an all-weather pickleball court.

Pickleball is one of the fastest-growing sports of recent years and is played on a court that is a similar size to a badminton court. 

The current grass tennis courts are set to be the site of most of the major work (Image: Google)

Junior tennis players will be able to use the court as they train.

Plans for the new clubhouse could see the building measuring eight metres across and three metres deep, with glass French doors.

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It will feature a canopied veranda along the front, as well as a kitchen area, a social space, storage and an accessible toilet and baby changing room.

Players currently have access to a community building at the recreation ground, which Cringleford Parish Council manages.

The current building at the recreation ground is rented out regularly which caused safeguarding concerns for the tennis club's previous coach (Image: Cringleford Tennis Club via South Norfolk and Broadland Council)

It is a busy building that is often rented out and, according to the design and access statement submitted to South Norfolk Council, has caused safeguarding issues for children playing tennis as the entrance to the toilets is hidden from view and accessed easily by other adults using the facility.

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A planning statement issued by the club explains that its resident coach has recently left the club and has cited this issue as one of the main reasons for her deciding to move on.

There will be a new gate installed as part of the plans, with access to the site made available from the recreation ground.

The gate will be automated which will allow people to make use of the courts by using a new pay-and-play system.