Plans unveiled for new sports courts at Christ’s Hospital School

The school wants to build four new padel courts – used for playing a type of tennis – to be built at its Bluecoat Sports Centre.

It is seeking planning permission from Horsham District Council for the new courts on land currently used as a car park.

A previous application to provide major new sports facilities for the school was approved in 2021 and the padel courts would form phase 1 of the works. The courts would be covered by a canopy, floodlit and fenced off.

But, says the school, the courts would have only temporary use until construction of a new car park is completed as part of phase 3 of the development..

Permission for the new sports complex granted in 2021 included an extension to the existing Bluecoats sports centre, a new six lane all-weather running track and a new artificial pitch – 3AGP – with six-metre tall flood lighting.

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Agents for the school, Brighter Planning Consultancy, say the courts will each measure 20m x 10m and would be located side by side to the west of the existing sports centre enabling the existing entrance to the sports centre to be retained.

In a statement to the council, they say: “The provision of this facility aims to improve the leisure facilities available for students on the site.”

And they add: “The flood lighting proposed would follow the curfew hour of 9pm set for the new floodlights for the sports facilities within the school.”