Released on Sep 18. 2026
Building a padel court in the UK involves much more than installing a steel frame, glass panels and artificial turf. A permanent court is a sports facility and a structural project, so site conditions, planning permission, foundations, drainage, wind loading, lighting and accessibility all need to be considered before installation begins.
For developers, sports clubs, leisure operators and investors, the safest approach is to start with the official playing requirements issued by the International Padel Federation (FIP), then apply the UK-specific construction guidance published by the Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) and the Sports and Play Construction Association (SAPCA).
This guide explains the main stages of padel court construction in the UK, from site assessment and planning through to foundations, court installation and final commissioning.
The basic dimensions are not determined by the installer.
Under the FIP Rules of Padel, a regulation court measures 20 metres long by 10 metres wide internally, with a permitted dimensional tolerance of 0.5%. The court is divided into two equal halves by the net, while the service lines are positioned 6.95 metres from the net. Court lines are 5 cm wide.
The official playing area therefore covers 200 m², but this should not be confused with the total space required for construction.
| Requirement | Official / UK Guidance |
|---|---|
| Internal playing area | 20 m × 10 m |
| Court area | 200 m² |
| Minimum clear height | 6 m |
| Recommended clear height for new facilities | 8 m |
| Net height at centre | 0.88 m |
| Net height at ends | 0.92 m |
| End enclosure height | 4 m |
| Typical end wall section | 3 m wall/glass + 1 m mesh |
FIP requires at least 6 metres of unobstructed height throughout the court and recommends 8 metres for new facilities. Lights or structural elements should not obstruct this clear playing volume.
This is particularly important when converting warehouses or adding covered padel courts. A building may appear high enough overall but still contain beams, ducts, lights or roof structures within the required playing volume.
One common planning mistake is to measure only the internal court.
The LTA's 2025 Padel Court Construction Guidance Note gives a minimum external area of approximately 20.80 m × 10.80 m for one external court. For multiple courts, the guidance assumes approximately 1.5 m between courts.
The LTA gives the following indicative minimum external dimensions:
1 court: 20.80 m × 10.80 m
2 courts: 20.80 m × 22.30 m
3 courts: 20.80 m × 33.80 m
4 courts: 20.80 m × 45.30 m
These figures include a nominal 400 mm ring beam but do not include every possible circulation, spectator or out-of-court area.
Developers should therefore assess access routes, maintenance areas, drainage infrastructure, electrical equipment and any spectator or amenity areas separately.
Planning should come before manufacturing and installation.
The LTA states that construction of a padel court requires formal planning consent from the relevant local authority and notes that responsibility for obtaining this consent normally rests with the site developer rather than the court contractor.
A planning application may need to address:
change of land use;
court fencing and enclosure;
floodlighting;
operating hours;
noise;
visual impact;
vehicle access and parking;
drainage;
landscaping;
canopies or covered structures.
Noise deserves particular attention because padel involves repeated ball impacts against glass and fencing.
The current LTA construction guidance advises that where a residential property lies within 50 metres of a proposed padel court, specialist noise and lighting surveys are likely to be required. It recommends considering these impacts during site selection rather than waiting until the planning application has already been designed.
SAPCA's current Code of Practice similarly notes that where residential properties are approximately 30–50 metres from the court, a formal noise assessment is often considered essential, potentially leading to measures such as acoustic barriers or repositioning of the court.
Therefore, a low-cost site is not necessarily a good padel site if the planning risk is high.
For projects in England, biodiversity can also affect the planning process.
Under the statutory Biodiversity Net Gain framework, developments that are subject to the requirement must normally deliver at least a 10% increase in biodiversity value compared with the pre-development condition of the site. The rules are subject to exemptions and specific statutory conditions, so not every project is treated identically.
This issue can be especially relevant when a new padel facility is being developed on previously undeveloped or landscaped land.
Because planning systems differ across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, developers should confirm the specific requirements with the relevant local planning authority rather than assuming that one planning procedure applies everywhere in the UK.
Once the project appears viable from a planning perspective, attention should turn to the ground.
A padel enclosure is exposed to wind loads, and the glass and steel structure transfers those loads into the foundation. Ground conditions therefore matter.
The LTA specifically recommends that the reinforced concrete ring beam, court sub-base and drainage system be designed by a UK-qualified structural engineer, taking into account local ground conditions, wind loads and other relevant loads.
This means foundation dimensions should not simply be copied from a standard drawing provided for another country or site.
Before final design, a project may need to establish:
soil condition and bearing capacity;
existing slabs or foundations;
site levels;
drainage outlets;
groundwater conditions;
underground utilities;
local wind exposure;
proposed court and canopy loads.
For an outdoor permanent court, the LTA guidance states that foundations should use a ring beam or below-ground foundation rather than a steel-plated above-ground foundation.
The quality of the visible court depends heavily on the layers underneath it.
According to current LTA guidance, a typical sub-base should comprise a free-draining, non-frost-susceptible aggregate averaging around 250 mm deep, with approximately 65 mm of porous asphalt above it in two layers.
The guidance permits a maximum single- or dual-plane gradient of 1:100, or the playing surface can be constructed level while the required fall is established at formation level. Drainage should include an internal surface-water system with an appropriate outlet through the perimeter ring beam.
Exact construction should always depend on site-specific engineering.
Poor drainage can lead to standing water, movement in the base, premature turf deterioration and inconsistent playing conditions. It is therefore better to design drainage together with the foundation rather than treating it as a later addition.
After the base and ring beam have reached the required specification, installation of the enclosure can begin.
FIP rules require a padel court to be fully enclosed. At the ends, the enclosure reaches 4 metres high, typically consisting of a 3 m rebound wall or transparent section with another 1 m of metal fencing above.
For UK projects, corrosion protection is especially important. LTA construction guidance recommends galvanised steelwork and appropriate corrosion protection for metal components used in the court structure.
The structural frame must also be installed accurately. Misalignment can affect glass installation, mesh alignment and the way the ball rebounds from transitions between different enclosure surfaces.
Glass is both a structural component and part of the playing system.
The FIP requires glass courts to comply with applicable standards for tempered or plate glass and requires rebound surfaces to provide a consistent playing response.
For UK construction, the LTA gives more specific guidance:
10 mm glass may be used for indoor courts;
12 mm toughened glass is specified for outdoor courts.
The LTA also requires glass rebound panels to use appropriate countersunk fixings so that the fasteners do not interfere with the rebound of the ball.
For outdoor commercial projects in the UK, specifying glass purely by thickness is therefore not sufficient. Buyers should also check certification, edge quality, hole positioning, mounting details and compatibility with the structural frame.
The turf system affects ball speed, player movement, drainage and ongoing maintenance.
LTA guidance specifies a single-tone, sand-dressed synthetic surface using either fibrillated or monofilament fibres and refers to UNE 41958 IN for the playing surface specification.
Installation typically involves:
preparing and cleaning the finished base;
positioning the turf rolls;
trimming the material accurately around the court perimeter;
joining the turf sections;
installing court markings;
distributing the specified sand infill;
brushing the surface to achieve consistent infill distribution.
The exact turf product and infill quantity should follow the manufacturer's technical specification and the project requirements rather than relying on a universal quantity for every court.
Lighting is another area where sport performance and planning requirements meet.
The LTA's current guidance specifies:
300 lux average illumination with 0.5 uniformity for regional competition and recreational use;
500 lux average illumination with 0.7 uniformity for national and international competition.
It also requires lighting arrangements to maintain at least 6 metres of clear height above the playing area.
FIP additionally recommends 8 metres of unobstructed height for new facilities and specifies that artificial lighting should not impair the vision of players, officials or spectators.
For outdoor courts, the lighting design should therefore consider both horizontal court illumination and spill light towards nearby homes or other sensitive locations.
The LTA specifically recommends that designers disclose fitting tilt angles so potential glare can be assessed.
Accessibility should be incorporated into the court design before the frame is manufactured.
The LTA requires padel court enclosures to provide at least 1.2 metres of clear access for sports wheelchairs.
This dimension can affect entrance design, net-post positioning and enclosure layout, which is why it should be checked at the specification stage rather than after installation.
Public facilities may also have wider accessibility obligations depending on the overall development.
Court orientation can affect player visibility, particularly during low-angle sunlight.
FIP recommends that the longitudinal axis of an outdoor padel court generally runs north-south, allowing a variation between north-northeast and north-northwest.
Orientation may still need to be balanced against:
site geometry;
neighbouring buildings;
prevailing wind;
drainage;
access;
landscaping;
planning restrictions.
It should therefore form part of the initial site layout rather than being decided only when installation starts.
Although each project is different, a professionally managed installation will generally follow this order:
Site assessment and feasibility
Check available space, access, planning constraints, neighbouring properties, drainage and ground conditions.
Planning and technical design
Develop the court layout, structural design, lighting proposal, drainage strategy and any required noise or ecological assessments.
Groundworks
Excavate and prepare the formation, install drainage and construct the engineered sub-base.
Foundation construction
Build the reinforced ring beam or other site-specific structural foundation.
Steel enclosure installation
Fix the main posts, frames, mesh sections and entrance structures.
Glass installation
Install certified toughened glass panels using the specified fixings and alignment tolerances.
Playing surface installation
Lay the synthetic turf, join the sections and distribute the sand infill.
Lighting and electrical work
Install lighting equipment, cabling, controls and distribution systems.
Testing and handover
Check court dimensions, enclosure alignment, lighting, drainage, surface condition, access and structural fixings before opening the court.
Following the right order is important because correcting foundation or drainage problems after the steel and glass have been installed can be significantly more disruptive than addressing them during groundworks.
A court supplier should be evaluated on more than the appearance of the finished court.
For a UK project, request documentation covering:
FIP-compatible court dimensions;
structural drawings;
glass certification;
steel specifications and corrosion protection;
artificial turf specifications;
lighting calculations;
foundation requirements;
warranties;
operation and maintenance documentation.
The LTA recommends obtaining quotations from SAPCA members and suggests using a main contractor for the complete project where practical, helping provide clearer responsibility and warranty coverage.
Court manufacturer drawings should also be coordinated with the UK structural engineer responsible for the site-specific foundation.
Several problems can be avoided during the design stage.
One is treating 20 m × 10 m as the complete project footprint. It is only the internal playing size.
Another is ordering the court before receiving planning approval. Noise, lighting or site-layout requirements can force significant changes to the design.
Using a generic foundation drawing without checking UK ground and wind conditions is another unnecessary risk. The LTA specifically calls for site-specific structural design.
Indoor developers should also verify the clear height rather than the nominal warehouse height. Roof beams, suspended services and lighting equipment can reduce the usable playing volume below FIP requirements.
Finally, comparing suppliers only by the court-kit price can hide major differences in groundworks, drainage, electrical work, glass specification and corrosion protection.
A successful padel court construction project in the UK begins well before the court arrives on site.
The 20 m × 10 m court dimensions are standardised internationally, but the foundation, drainage, structural design, planning requirements and surrounding infrastructure are site-specific. UK developers should therefore combine FIP playing standards with LTA and SAPCA construction guidance and local planning requirements.
For most projects, the best sequence is simple: assess the site first, resolve planning and engineering second, and manufacture and install the court only after the technical requirements are confirmed.
This approach reduces the risk of redesign, planning delays and construction problems while helping ensure that the finished court provides safe and consistent playing conditions over the long term.
Authoritative Sources Used
The principal technical reference is the International Padel Federation's Rules of Padel, effective from January 2026, which defines official dimensions, enclosure configuration, minimum clear height, safety areas and court orientation.
For UK-specific construction requirements, the article uses the LTA Padel Court Construction Guidance Note 2025, including specifications for foundations, drainage, glass, accessibility, lighting, planning and indicative project costs.
The LTA directs developers to the SAPCA Code of Practice for the Construction of Padel Courts, with the current code listed by SAPCA as the fifth edition, September 2025.
Biodiversity information for England is based on current GOV.UK Biodiversity Net Gain guidance, which explains the statutory 10% biodiversity gain objective and applicable exemptions.
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