Burghley Golf Club, Stamford
- Client
- Padel X Club
- Location
- Stamford
- Project size
- Two outdoor courts
The padel courts at Burghley Estate occupy one of the most challenging locations we have worked on. The local planning authority classed the site as open countryside, and it lies within the wider Registered historic park and garden associated with Burghley House, one of England's finest Elizabethan houses. Outdoor courts in this setting were always going to face close scrutiny.
Heritage was at the heart of the case. Padel Plan prepared a detailed heritage assessment that examined the significance of the historic park and garden and the setting of Burghley House, and showed how the courts could be accommodated without harming the qualities that make the estate so special. This gave the council the evidence it needed to weigh the proposal with confidence.
Alongside the heritage work, we built a strong business case for the scheme. We showed the important role the padel courts would play in supporting the estate's wider golf course facilities, helping to secure their future and strengthen the estate's leisure offer as a whole. This commercial evidence was key to demonstrating why the courts needed to be in this location and why the benefits of the scheme justified development in the countryside.
This was a detailed and hard fought consent, secured through persistence and a carefully constructed case. The courts have since opened and have proved extremely popular.
This scheme shows the value of pairing strong heritage expertise with a robust commercial case. At Padel Plan, we combine specialist knowledge of padel developments with a detailed understanding of heritage and planning policy, building the evidence that convinces planners even on the most sensitive sites.
