sport

Doncaster Expands Community Sport: New Pickleball Courts, Padel Centre Approved

Council approvals for new pickleball courts and a padel centre show how local projects are expanding access to sport for residents.

By Doncaster Sport Desk · Published 25 July 2026

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The City of Doncaster Council approved plans to convert a warehouse at Wood Business, Wheat Hills into an indoor pickleball facility with three courts. This decision adds to a pattern of smaller-scale investments aimed at widening participation in racket sports.

These moves arrive as Doncaster maintains a busy local sport scene that includes both established venues and newer proposals. Residents have seen repeated council reviews of projects that balance community use against larger-scale developments.

Local projects take shape at named sites

Doncaster will open its first dedicated indoor padel facility, Padel Master, at Centurion Retail Park in 2026, featuring six double and two single courts. The same period has seen Campsmount Academy's football facilities receive a £1 million overhaul funded by Leger Education Trust and The Football Foundation. Meanwhile a £14 million redevelopment of the listed Doncaster Dome has begun, covering repairs to the roof, entrance and heating infrastructure.

Plans for a £55 million elite football training centre in Bawtry were rejected by councillors over concerns about Green Belt land loss and amenity impact. That outcome left room for the smaller facilities now moving forward at Wheat Hills and Centurion Retail Park.

Numbers and timelines from the approvals

The pickleball conversion targets three courts inside an existing warehouse. The padel centre will provide eight courts in total when it opens next year. The school upgrade carries a £1 million price tag while the Dome works are budgeted at £14 million. These figures come directly from the council records and funding announcements attached to each scheme.

Further steps will depend on construction schedules already set by the council and the named trusts. Residents interested in the new courts can check the City of Doncaster Council website for opening details once building work progresses.

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