WilkinsonEyre Completes Padel Courts Inside Wimbledon Athletics Track
Located within the infield of an existing athletics track, the project introduces five new padel courts to Wimbledon
WilkinsonEyre has completed GrassRoots Padel, a new outdoor sports facility at Wimbledon Park Sports Hub in south-west London.
Located close to the All England Lawn Tennis & Croquet Club, home of The Wimbledon Championships, and separated from the famous Wimbledon Queue by a belt of mature trees, the site is also home to the historic Hercules Wimbledon Athletic Club.
WilkinsonEyre was appointed by GrassRoots Padel to develop proposals for an integrated facility that would operate within the safety zones of the existing athletics venue. Drawing on their strategies for demountable and temporary sports facilities for both the 2012 and 2016 Olympic Games, WilkinsonEyre designed the courts to be flexible with a view to the future evolution and reconfiguration of the wider sports hub.
Sam Wright, Board Director at WilkinsonEyre, said: “Grassroots Padel is a great new concept that meshes outdoor padel and field sport within a live community athletic track. Working closely with the client, the local community, England Athletics and Merton Council, we have developed an innovative reconfiguration of a traditional sporting layout that goes a long way in securing the long-term viability of this community sporting complex.”
The new facility forms part of GrassRoots Padel’s wider vision for Wimbledon Park Sports Hub as a place where people of all ages and abilities can access sport, recreation and wellbeing activities. Through beginner pathways, junior coaching programmes and dedicated court time for schools and community groups, the venue seeks to support the long-term growth of padel at a local level while ensuring that one of the world's fastest-growing sports remains accessible to Wimbledon residents and local organisations.
Nick Newton, Founder of GrassRoots Padel, said: "GrassRoots Padel is about creating opportunities for people to get active, connect with others and experience one of the world's fastest-growing sports in a welcoming community environment. We are immensely proud to bring padel to Wimbledon Park and look forward to working with local residents, schools and sporting organisations to help grow participation for years to come."
The project demonstrates how emerging sports can be introduced into established venues without displacing existing activities. Positioned alongside athletics, tennis and community recreation, the new padel facility introduces an additional offer to this sporting heartland of London.
