West Suffolk Council plans to invest in two new padel courts at Mildenhall Hub in 2027, building on the facility's leisure success.
By Rebecca Flint
••4 min read
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Generic image of a modern leisure centre with a padel court in the foreground.
West Suffolk Council is proposing to invest in two covered padel courts at Mildenhall Hub in 2027, aiming to further enhance the facility's already significant leisure success.
The council plans to use funds from the £3.5m Leisure Investment Fund, established in February, to deliver the new courts, subject to securing planning permission. This initiative aims to build on the award-winning project's achievements since its opening in 2021.
A five-year review of the Mildenhall Hub, which brings together education, leisure, health, and community services, will be presented to the council’s Overview and Scrutiny Committee. The Hub has seen a significant increase in leisure centre membership, rising by 188 per cent, and a steady increase in visits for fitness activities, group workouts, and swimming, from 122,515 to 272,062.
The Hub's success has also spurred additional nearby leisure activities, including a weekly parkrun attracting 75-100 participants, a free pump track created in 2023, and a Football Foundation PlayZone opened this year. The facility's collaborative approach has also benefited patient recovery and people managing long-term health conditions through closer work with health partners.
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"The Mildenhall Hub, the leisure activity that it offers to local communities and the uptake of these by residents in and around the town, has been a huge success. It’s boosting people’s physical and mental health. It’s helping people manage health conditions and their recovery. It is encouraging more people to get active, whether through swimming, the gym, fitness classes, parkrun, the pump track or other activities. So, I am delighted that we will be building on this success with further investment in 2027. Padel is recognised as one of the fastest growing sports in the world. Subject to planning permission we will be delivering new covered sports so people can enjoy playing this popular sport. This is a great example of why we created the Leisure Investment Fund to ensure our leisure facilities across West Suffolk can keep up with community demand."
Cllr Ian Shipp highlighted the positive impact on physical and mental health and the encouragement of active lifestyles. He expressed delight in further investment planned for 2027, noting padel's global growth and the aim to provide covered facilities for year-round play.
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"The success of Mildenhall Hub is a fantastic example of what can be achieved through strong partnerships, a shared vision and a genuine commitment to improving the health and wellbeing of our communities. We are incredibly proud of the role we have played in growing participation and encouraging more people to be active. We see first-hand the difference that physical activity can make, not just to people's health, but to their confidence, mental wellbeing and overall quality of life. The Hub's collaborative approach has created opportunities that go far beyond traditional leisure provision, connecting services and supporting people at every stage of their health and wellbeing journey. We are delighted to see further investment being proposed, with the introduction of padel courts offering another exciting opportunity to attract new audiences, broaden participation and inspire even more people to enjoy the benefits of an active lifestyle."
Sarah Howard, Chair of Trustees at Abbeycroft, praised the Hub's success as a testament to strong partnerships and a shared vision for community health and wellbeing. She emphasised the positive impact of physical activity and expressed enthusiasm for the proposed padel courts as a means to attract new audiences and broaden participation.
The Hub was initially funded by West Suffolk Council, the Department for Education, Suffolk County Council, Sport England, Academy Transformation Trust, and Suffolk’s Police and Crime Commissioner. West Suffolk Council's capital contribution of £26.2 million funded the leisure centre, office space, public facilities, and renewable energy. Despite national economic pressures, the single building's lower running costs have justified the investment, with the project on track to break even as projected.
Based on information from the official source: West Suffolk Council (12/11/2026)
