Renaker to bring emerging sport to Manchester
Having recently submitted plans for what could be the tallest building outside of London, the developer has lodged proposals to create a padel tennis club as part of the Great Jackson Street skyscraper district.
The club will consist of four courts, a small clubhouse and toilet facilities, delivered in conjunction with Manchester operator Club de Padel. The club is to be located on land earmarked for phase three of the developer’s Great Jackson Street masterplan.
“Ever since we first encountered Padel in Barcelona several years ago, we have been desperate to bring this amazing sport to Manchester,” said Club de Padel co-founder David Blake.
“It’s great fun, hugely sociable and easy to pick up, so we know it’s going to be a smash at Deansgate Square.”
Padel is a racquet sport typically played in doubles on enclosed courts and is often described as a hybrid between squash and tennis. It originated in Mexico and is popular in parts of mainland Europe, including France and Spain.
In recent years, the sport has started to take off in the UK. The number of clubs is growing but demand far outstrips supply at present. The closest club to Manchester at present is in Wilmslow.
Renaker’s proposals “aim to create a community asset on previously unused land, providing social, health and wellness benefits for local residents and non-residents from the wider community”, according to a statement.
Eventually, this site will be redeveloped into four towers, two reaching 47 storeys and two rising to 51 storeys, close to Renaker’s 71-storey Lighthouse scheme.
Can someone from Simpson H give everyone an insight into why they think having similar heights will look good. Is it part of an even wider masterplan?
Also, given this is going to change a major city significantly, can they not provide higher quality/more realistic CGIs to put our minds at ease?
People are genuinely concerned and I’m struggling with this one myself, despite having a fairly positive outlook about Manchester’s first skyscraper district.
I’ve read the supporting documents and I honestly can’t get a good enough idea of what this will be like.
I get that they are going for uniform designs and I love Blade/360 but surely they need to throw a few contrasting towers in there as well? Can’t they throw a few white towers in there to uplift the general feel and bring out the depth of the darker glass? Can’t we have a modern industrial look given it’s the city of the industrial revolution? Doesn’t Manchester deserve more?
By Anonymous
I have never heard of it but ok I’m in. The more goes on at ground level to link all of these talls to the street the more I like it.
By Anonymous
Not outdoors surely? In that wind?
By Gilly
Padel is great. All for more courts being built in Manchester. Two are currently being built at The Northern in Didsbury also.
By Matt M
Please vary the size of the towers more, before it’s too late! And surely it’ll look better of the tallest building, the Lighthouse, was in the middle, where the “two reaching 47 storeys and two rising to 51 storeys” are. Either that or make those 4 towers something like 75, 80, 85 and 90 storeys high.
By MC
Brilliant bring it on
By Barry Haines
Strange that they aren’t looking to being something permanent. Surely with considering one less skyscraper to bring some human element to the development. I’d hate to think what this will be in 20 years, a combination of skyscrapers and a few shops and nothing else!
By Poorplanning
Sounds like pickle ball, which seems to be the flavour of the month in the states
By Anonymous
I hope the council forces a little variation in the height of some of those buildings. We don’t need it looking like Soviet high rises.
By Tom
Whilst the investment in recent years is both welcome and impressive, the building cluster itself is quite dull and too similar to one another. The colour (lack of) and shape of them is a bit depressing at the moment.
By B.Land
Haha brilliant, a positive addition to the neighbourhood but only temporary as more towers must be built. Suggests the masterplans aren’t providing enough community space
By Levelling Up Manager
Padel? must admit I hadn’t heard of it either, but as another little piece in the jigsaw to help build a neighbourhood I’m all for it. With a school on the way and a doctors it’s a good start.
By Anonymous
Sorry B Land, what you are looking at is called a CGI’s , colour and variation is a bit different in real life.
By Anonymous
The Manchester cup tennis and Racquet club in Blackfriars has been playing Padel for more than two years
By Anonymous
Sorry, is this news?
By Anonymous
Anonymous 12.41, this isn’t the BBC, we are not dealing with world events, it’s a property and development site so yes , in that context it is news as most of us didn’t know it before.
By Anonymous