UK retail giant Hammerson has lodged plans for 10 padel courts on lands at its Swords Pavilions shopping centre in north Dublin.
In the scheme, Hammerson IVAC is seeking temporary five-year planning permission from Fingal County Council a for the 10 padel courts along with two converted, timber-clad, shipping containers to accommodate ancillary reception/court booking, cafe and rooftop viewing platform.
In a planning report lodged with the application by planning consultant Stephen Little + Associates, it said the proposal “provide a high-quality, accessible sports and leisure facility that enhances the recreational offering within the town centre, supporting continued investment, increased footfall and vibrancy in the area”.
The 2.7-acre site for the padel courts is located immediately to the west of the main access road serving the Pavilions Shopping Centre, while the existing surface car park serving Pavilions is located to the west of the site.
READ MORE
The Little + Associates planning report said the proposal “efficiently utilises the existing shopping centre lands by introducing a modern leisure facility complemented by a cafe, which together enhance the retail and service mix at the Pavilions, ensures the centre remains a competitive and multifunctional destination”.
The planning report said the proposal “positively responds to the growing popularity of padel tennis and to health and wellbeing activities”.
The proposed development “has the capacity to support both casual participation and organised sporting and leisure activity”, the report said.
Advancing the case for the scheme, the report states that “the proposal represents a positive contribution to the continued investment in and promotion of Swords Pavilions as a vibrant and sustainable component of the big town centre, enhancing its appeal not just as a retail destination but as a multifunctional urban hub”.
The planning report pointed out that “the repurposed shipping containers – one functioning as a reception area and equipment rental hub, and the other as an adjacent cafe – are intended to enhance the user experience, provide convenience and encourage greater social interaction within the space”.
The report said the club is expected to be open daily from 6am to 11pm.
The planning report said the proposal recognised the strategic importance of the granted MetroLink project, which will utilise adjoining lands to deliver high-capacity public transport directly serving Swords and the Pavilions area.
The report states that “this development will help to strengthen the local economy, attract footfall and improve the quality of life for the wider community”.
A decision is due to be made in March.
