Residents in Haverhill, Suffolk, will soon have a new place to play sport as three covered padel tennis courts are being built at The New Croft. The project is expected to be complete in March 2026, with public bookings expected to open in April 2026.
The project is a partnership between Haverhill Community Sports Association (HCSA) and Haverhill Padel Club Limited. Each court will be covered and fitted with LED floodlighting, allowing play between 7:00am and 10:00pm regardless of the weather.
Peter Betts, chief executive of Haverhill Community Sports Association, said the aim is to make the site a social hub for many different activities. “Padel is coming to Haverhill and we are building it properly. This isn’t just about adding a court; it’s about adding a new community wing to what we already do at The New Croft,” he said. The facility is already well known as the home of Haverhill Rovers (and Haverhill Borough) football clubs and for hosting major community events, including the record-breaking 2025 “Rockets at the Rovers” Bonfire Night.
Padel is one of the fastest-growing sports in Britain, according to the Lawn Tennis Association. West Suffolk Council approved the planning application in October 2025. The new courts will be sited on a grassed area within the wider 16-acre New Croft complex, which already includes artificial 3G pitches; the roof installation was reported to be due in mid-March ahead of the courts being brought into use.
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