SITE SELECTION AND THE STEPS INVOLVED
When selecting a new site, for an outdoor centre or an existing building for an indoor centre, the feasibility process is key to good decision making.
My first piece of advice is to find your model and stick to it. What is the USP of your club? Whatever it is, believe in it and then do not compromise on it.
Established operators will have a tried and tested model which works for them, approaching site selection with a firm understanding of what the property needs to accommodate. Aspiring operators are more likely to make compromises in their enthusiasm of getting the first site under their belt. Of course enthusiasm is to be admired but it needs to be tethered to mitigate bad decision making and having a robust feasibility process will provide a strong foundation.
So, when assessing the feasibility of a new site, what are the considerations:
Site constraints
Whether you are developing an indoor or outdoor padel centre, site constraints will shape the number of courts, their layout, space to have ancillary offers such as an F&B, reception, retail space, gym, changing rooms etc.
The size of your site or building will determine the number of courts that you can fit. BUT maximising the number of courts to the detriment of ancillary facilities or circulation space is not always the right decision. Having a sufficient number of courts to allow financial support for your staffing model and other overheads of course is also crucial so you must find the right balance for you. Have firm understanding of your proposed model and if the property does not allow you to achieve this, be prepared to walk away.
Dimensions of your site or building will determine the layout. Can your courts sit side by side or end to end, does it matter? For those operators wanting to focus on coaching for example, there is a preference to have courts side by side for maximum efficiency.
In an indoor facility the additional complications of internal columns and eaves height add to the design considerations. Court and ancillary space may be compromised, and a building being too low will compromise game play. There are still operators who compromise on height and for me this is a massive mistake for the long term success of your club.
Regulatory Constraints
Regulatory constraints include fire regulations, building regulations, DDA compliance etc but the biggest by far is planning. Planning can be an extremely costly and time consuming process with no guarantee of success. To mitigate the risk however, analysing the planning feasibility of your site is key. The location of any property/site is unique and each will have their own unique challenges, however the key considerations are:
For outdoor sites
Lighting
To operate into the evening lighting for the courts is essential. Will this impact on your neighbours, will it impact on local wildlife? If the answer is yes to any of these, then you must assume that the local planning authority will require mitigation against the impact. Question to ask yourself – Is there a financially viable solution?
Noise
The issue of noise is a hot topic and has found sensational headlines in the national press. Is it a real consideration? Yes it is. Are local Councils imposing a blanket ban on padel because of noise? No they are not. Mitigating the impact to residential neighbours is key. is your site within 30m of the closest residential property? is it located on a noisy and busy main road? It is super important to get this right. One of the biggest blockers to planning consent.
Highways
Ensure the site can provide suitable access and egress plus adequate parking for the local councils parking standards. Is there room for coach parking and turning, rubbish collection vehicles etc
Height
If you are introducing canopies into an outdoor site, are they in keeping with the area, rural, industrial etc. Clever designing of the canopy to reflect the location and to mitigate the appearance of massing does work. Will your canopies block views for neighbours or of any heritage buildings in the vicinity?
Building inside an MOL or Green Belt area will have many additional challenges and significant upfront feasibility and a pre-app become even more important. Design in these areas is paramount to a successful application.