Padel plan for former Stoke college
A “vacant and unsightly” former college and pottery factory in Shelton could be redeveloped as a sports complex under new plans unveiled this week.
Applicant Court de Padel wants to build eight new padel courts on the site of a now-demolished former Stoke College building on College Road, opposite Hanley Park.
Under the proposals, lodged with Stoke-on-Trent City Council, on-site changing facilities, a cafe and offices would also be built as part of the development, which Court de Padel says will “enhance student and wider community access to the sport of padel.”
The application has been supported by the Lawn Tennis Association, which says the facility would “significantly enhance” the development of the sport in Stoke on Trent.
If approved, the development would bring the historic College Road site back into use, after nearly a decade of dereliction.
The former Cauldon Works site was once the home of prominent Staffordshire pottery firm Brown-Westhead, Moore and Co, who occupied the site from 1862 until manufacturing operations ceased in 1904.
The site was purchased by North Staffordshire Technical College in 1946, before being developed for educational use in the 1950’s. It later became the Cauldon Campus of Stoke-on Trent College.
The site, which sits next to the Caldon Canal conservation area and the grade-two listed Hanley Park, has been derelict since 2018 – when the college building was demolished and replaced on the western half of the site with a seven-storey student accommodation block for 900 students.
A design statement prepared by scheme architects Revival Architecture said the scheme, which is aimed at a young demographic, would complement the neighbouring student facilities.
“We want to ensure that the development maintains the character and identity of the area but also adds to it positively,” it said.
“The scheme will reinforce the use of the overall area as a campus and for students and a younger demographic. The design is looking to incorporate a high quality padel court facility to benefit the nearby students and local community alike.”
The scheme comes on the back of two other recent padel developments in the city, with indoor facilities in development at a former furniture showroom in Cobridge alongside a further seven outdoor courts being built in Milton.
Documents and plans relating to the application can be viewed on the Stoke on Trent City Council planning portal using reference: 25/FUL/00523
