Project
Padel Power Northants Ltd instructed BTG Eddisons to provide lease advice and prepare a schedule of condition ahead of taking a lease on a 2.5-acre warehouse site in Northampton.
The agreement was conditional on securing planning permission for change of use from industrial (B2/B8) to leisure (Class E).
The client’s objective was to create a modern indoor sports facility focusing on the popular racquet sport of padel, and for it to be operational in early 2026, requiring both workstreams to progress in parallel.
Approach
Our Kettering and Northampton building consultancy team ran the schedule of condition and planning application support in tandem to meet programme requirements. A detailed inspection, supported by drone survey, identified roof defects, debris build-up and general maintenance issues typical of a building that had been largely vacant.
These findings informed lease negotiations, ensuring the client’s repairing liabilities were clearly defined. In parallel, we prepared and submitted a comprehensive planning application to West Northamptonshire Council for a new leisure facility including indoor padel courts, fitness and social spaces.
Supporting documentation included a Sequential Test, traffic impact assessment and health impact assessment, alongside evidence demonstrating the lack of demand for the building’s existing use. The scheme’s wider community benefits, including access for schools and local groups, were central to the planning strategy. Throughout the process, all planning queries were addressed promptly to maintain momentum.
Results
Planning consent was granted in February 2026, enabling the lease to proceed and the project to move forward as planned. The padel court was opened in April 2026, delivering a new leisure destination for the area.
The combined lease advice and planning strategy ensured risk was managed effectively, while supporting the client’s ambition to transform a vacant industrial unit into a high-quality, community-focused sports facility.
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