Padel tennis — an urban-style racket sport played in a glass and steel mesh walled court — could be coming to Mansfield.

World Padel Academy (WPA) has submitted a planning application to Mansfield District Council to develop a new padel tennis facility at Mansfield Town FC’s One Call Stadium.

The £1m project would include four covered courts and a small clubhouse.

The sport, a mix of tennis and squash, has seen huge growth in Europe and the Middle East in recent years.

It does not require high skill levels to enjoy playing, making it inclusive. Padel is played in doubles and because of the walls, it creates a lot of chances to return the ball, and rallies can go on far longer than in tennis.

Mansfield Town chairman John Radford said: “I’ve been playing padel regularly for a few years in Portugal and it’s one of the most enjoyable sports you can play. It encourages teamwork, discipline, and healthy competition. It’s very easy and a great way to keep active.

“Playing it regularly helps develop healthy fitness habits and I know the people of Mansfield will really enjoy the game. I’m very much looking to playing padel at the club.”

WPA Mansfield would provide group activities, coaching programmes for beginners through to academy level players, and year-round tournaments for all levels.

James Bowring, chief operating officer of WPA UK, said: “We are working hard to secure a network of venues across the country. I’m excited to be launching our first fully-managed UK venue in my home town.”

For the last six months WPA has added its expertise to grow the padel community at Nottingham Padel Centre. Like

Nottingham, WPA Mansfield will boast four courts but with one major differentiator, a purpose-built canopy structure to protect players from adverse weather.