Padel court at home: building one in your garden
What a private padel court in the garden really takes in the UK: the space, the base and drainage, the lights and the neighbours, and the planning question. Every figure is from the FIP rules, the LTA or SAPCA guidance, or the Planning Portal. Then draw your plot free and leave with a dimensioned plan and a 3D view.
How much space a padel court at home needs
The court itself is the same at home as in a club: 20 × 10 m inside the glass and mesh. Around it you need the enclosure, its foundation and room to work.
| What | Figure |
|---|---|
| Playing area | 10 m (32 ft 10 in) × 20 m (65 ft 7 in), inside measurements (FIP) |
| Outside of the enclosure | 10.80 m (35 ft 5 in) × 20.80 m (68 ft 3 in) as the minimum area for one outdoor court, including a nominal 400 mm ring beam (LTA guidance note) |
| Enclosure height | 4 m (13 ft 1 in) at the ends: 3 m of wall and 1 m of mesh; the sides step down to 3 m of mesh in the middle (FIP) |
| Clear height | 6 m (19 ft 8 in) above the whole court, nothing overhanging it; 8 m (26 ft 3 in) suggested for new facilities (FIP) |
| Wheelchair access | At least 1.20 m (3 ft 11 in) between each net post and the enclosure, on both sides (LTA guidance note) |
| Out-of-court play | Space outside the side openings, only needed where elite tournaments are planned (LTA guidance note). Without it, there is no play outside the court |
The SAPCA code adds what the drawings leave out: the court should sit on relatively flat land, not too close to boundaries or trees, with access for players and for construction and maintenance equipment, including room to clean the glass on both faces. Every court needs resurfacing at some point, and the machinery has to get there.
In the planner, a 15 × 25 m plot (49 ft 3 in × 82 ft) fits one court with the LTA clearances: 1.5 m around the court and the 8 × 2 m access zone at the side opening. A narrower strip may still take a single padel court.
Sources: International Padel Federation (FIP), Rules of Padel, review in force from 1 January 2026; LTA Padel, Padel Court Construction Guidance Note (2025); SAPCA, The SAPCA Code of Practice for the Construction of Padel Courts (September 2025), clause 2.1. Every measurement of the court: padel court dimensions.
A private court is still a full court
The UK guidance is written for venues, and none of it gives a lighter specification for a private garden. What changes at home is the brief, not the build:
- One court, no neighbours on court. With a single court there is no 1.5 m gap between courts to plan, only the space around it.
- No out-of-court play area. The LTA says it only needs to be considered where elite tournaments are planned.
- Recreational lighting. The LTA and SAPCA minimum for recreational use is 300 lux average with 0.5 uniformity, not the 500 lux of national competition. See padel court lighting.
- The same structure. 12 mm toughened glass outdoors, a foundation designed by a UK structural engineer for the local wind loads, and galvanised steelwork: the UK has much higher corrosion rates than continental Europe, as the LTA notes. See padel court glass.
Orientation: north–south
For outdoor courts the FIP recommends the long axis north–south, with variation allowed between north-north-east and north-north-west. In a garden that may fight with the shape of the plot; it is a recommendation, not a requirement, and the planner lets you rotate the court to see what fits.
The base, slab and drainage
This is the part most often underestimated, and the LTA prices it separately from the court: £35,000 for one court, about as much as the court with lights. What the guidance asks for:
- A ring beam designed for your site. A perimeter reinforced concrete ring beam, about 400 mm wide at the surface, with the depth and profile designed by a UK structural engineer for the ground conditions and local wind loads, backed by professional indemnity insurance.
- A free-draining sub-base. The LTA guidance note describes a free-draining, non-frost-susceptible aggregate sub-base averaging 250 mm, with 65 mm of porous asphalt in two layers on top; its minimum specification is 150 mm of free-draining stone, a 40 mm binder course and a 25 mm surface course.
- Falls and drainage. At most a 1:100 gradient, or a level court with the fall formed at formation level, and a drain inside the ring beam with an outfall through it. SAPCA prefers the playing surface and ring beam level, so the glass sits flush without stepping.
- Flatness. The FIP asks for less than 3 mm of difference under a 3 m straight edge, and at most a 1 % cross-fall from the centre outwards on surfaces without drainage. SAPCA’s construction tolerance is ±6 mm under a 3 m straight edge.
- Trees. Roots of poplar, sycamore and willow can crack the surface; SAPCA describes root barriers and asks for overhanging branches to be cut back. A protected tree (TPO) or one in a conservation area needs the council’s consent first.
- Power. LED court lighting needs a single-phase supply, typically 1.2 to 2.4 kW per court, according to SAPCA.
Sources: LTA Padel, Padel Court Construction Guidance Note (2025), ring beam, sub-base and specification; SAPCA, The SAPCA Code of Practice for the Construction of Padel Courts (September 2025), clauses 2.1, 2.6, 2.7 and 2.12; FIP Rules of Padel, Ground surface.
Lights, noise and the neighbours
At home, the neighbours are close by definition, and that is what decides most garden projects. The LTA guidance note says that if a home is within 50 m of the court, noise and light surveys by specialist consultants are likely to be required; the SAPCA code puts the range at 30 to 50 m for a formal noise assessment, and says a detailed lighting design will always be required for a planning application.
- Noise. SAPCA reports courts closed down on environmental health grounds because of noise, even after a noise assessment had been agreed at planning. Mitigation can include acoustic fencing or moving the court.
- Light. Next to homes, lighting designs should give both lux and candela calculations, in line with the ILP Guidance Notes for the Reduction of Obtrusive Light 2021 (SAPCA), and show the tilt angles of the fittings so glare can be judged (LTA).
The LTA recommends talking to neighbours about your plans before and during the planning application.
Sources: LTA Padel, Padel Court Construction Guidance Note, Planning consent and Floodlighting; SAPCA, The SAPCA Code of Practice for the Construction of Padel Courts, clauses 1.1.2, 2.1.2 and 3.4.
Planning permission for a garden padel court
In England, some garden structures do not need a planning application because they are permitted development under Class E of the General Permitted Development Order. The Planning Portal lists enclosures, including tennis courts, among them. The limits that matter for padel:
- Height. A building, enclosure or container may not exceed 2.5 m within 2 m of the boundary, or 3 m in any other case (4 m applies only to a building with a dual-pitched roof).
- Coverage. Buildings, enclosures and containers may not cover more than 50 % of the garden, excluding the original house.
- Position. Nothing forward of the principal elevation of the house.
- Designated land and listed buildings. In national parks, the Broads, AONBs, conservation areas and World Heritage Sites the limits are tighter, and within the curtilage of a listed building permission is always needed.
A padel enclosure is 4 m high at the ends and floodlights mount at 6 m or more, so a standard court goes over the Class E heights. The LTA guidance note and the SAPCA code both say a padel court will require planning consent. In practice, plan for a householder planning application, and if you believe your scheme is permitted development, a Lawful Development Certificate gives you certainty before you build.
General guidance for England, not legal advice. Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland have their own rules, and planning conditions or an Article 4 Direction can remove permitted development rights on your property. Sources: Planning Portal, Outbuildings: planning permission; The Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (England) Order 2015, Schedule 2, Part 1, Class E (legislation.gov.uk); GOV.UK, Lawful development certificates; LTA guidance note; SAPCA code, clause 2.1.2. For clubs and use classes: padel court planning permission.
Padel court at home: the cost
The only UK figures we can source are the LTA’s, for venues. For one outdoor court:
| Item | LTA figure |
|---|---|
| Court with lights | £36,000 |
| Ring beam, court base, ducting and drainage | £35,000 |
| Total | £71,000 |
| A canopy over one court, with its foundation and drainage | £75,000 |
The LTA built the court figures from projects delivered in 2025; they exclude VAT and fees, and location and site conditions set the final cost. Planning consent is excluded from most contractors’ quotations, according to the LTA, and it asks contractors to state the cost of getting power to the floodlights separately. Once it is built, the LTA suggests setting aside £1,500 per court per year for the surface, lamps and columns, plans for resurfacing about every 5 years, and puts LED lighting at about £1 per court per hour to run.
Sources: LTA Padel, padel construction (2025) and LTA Padel, Padel Court Construction Guidance Note (2025). More in padel court cost in the UK; for a roof, covered padel court.
Portable padel courts and courts without groundworks
Enclosures that avoid a ring beam exist: steel-plate enclosures, held down by the weight of steel plates bolted to the surface below, and platform enclosures for ground that is not level, held by the weight of the structure. What the UK guidance says about them:
- SAPCA accepts both only if the structural calculations, for the enclosure and the ground below together, are signed off by a UK structural engineer.
- The LTA’s minimum specification says a steel-plated or above-ground foundation must not be used for a permanent outdoor court.
- SAPCA treats temporary courts as a short-term option: it gives 12 months as the legal definition of temporary, expects more structural maintenance, and warns they may still need planning consent because of noise.
- Second-hand enclosures should not be considered without a ground assessment and structural calculations; SAPCA reports second-hand courts in the UK built with non-galvanised steel.
Sources: SAPCA, The SAPCA Code of Practice for the Construction of Padel Courts, clauses 1.1.1 and 2.1.6; LTA Padel, Padel Court Construction Guidance Note, example specification.
How to build a padel court at home
From measuring the garden to the maintenance manual, in the order the LTA guidance sets out.
Measure the site
The LTA’s first step: measure the site to see if the court fits, with a tape on site or a distance tool on a map.
Draw it in the planner
Enter the plot as an outdoor site. The planner places the court with its clearances and gives you a dimensioned plan and a 3D view.
Check planning
In England, see whether the enclosure and lights stay within permitted development (they usually do not) and talk to the council before you commit.
Get the base designed
The ring beam, sub-base and drainage designed by a UK structural engineer for your ground and wind loads.
Compare quotes on one specification
The LTA advises 3 quotations against the same specification, so they can be compared fairly.
Build, and keep the manual
At the end, the contractor’s operation and maintenance manual: following it keeps the warranty valid.
For step 5, the plan helps: with a dimensioned plan every installer quotes the same court in the same place. If you want, we pass your plan to up to 3 installers and manufacturers in your area: padel court quotes.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a padel court at home cost?
The LTA’s figure for one outdoor court is £36,000 for the court with lights, plus £35,000 for the ring beam, base, ducting and drainage: £71,000, excluding VAT and fees, from projects delivered in 2025. It is written for venues; a private court built to the same specification needs the same base. A canopy is extra.
Do I need planning permission for a padel court in my garden?
In England, garden enclosures can be permitted development under Class E, but only up to 3 m high, or 2.5 m within 2 m of the boundary. A padel enclosure is 4 m high at the ends and floodlights sit at 6 m or more, so a standard court is over those limits: expect to apply for planning permission, and check with your council. Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland have their own rules.
How much space do you need for a padel court at home?
At least 20.80 × 10.80 m (68 ft 3 in × 35 ft 5 in) for the court and its ring beam, according to the LTA. You also need room to walk round it, to clean the glass on both faces and to bring in machinery. In the planner, a 15 × 25 m plot (49 ft 3 in × 82 ft) fits one court with the LTA clearances.
Can you build a padel court in your back garden?
Yes, if it fits and you get planning consent where needed. The SAPCA code asks for relatively flat ground, away from boundaries and trees, with access for construction and maintenance, and for a structural engineer to design the foundations.
Is there a portable padel court?
There are enclosures fixed with steel plates or on weighted platforms instead of a ring beam. The SAPCA code accepts them only with a site-specific structural design signed off by a UK engineer, and the LTA says a steel-plated or above-ground foundation must not be used for a permanent outdoor court.
How big is a padel court compared with a tennis court?
The LTA describes a padel court as about a third of the size of a tennis court. With the LTA clearances, our layout engine fits 1 court in the ITF recommended area of a tennis court (18.5 × 36.5 m).
Which way should a garden padel court face?
The FIP recommends the long axis of outdoor courts north–south, with variation allowed between north-north-east and north-north-west, so the low sun is not in the players’ eyes along the court.
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Draw your garden court, free.
Enter your plot as an outdoor site: the planner places the court with its clearances. Free with no sign-up to design; leave with a dimensioned plan and a 3D view (the PDF asks for your contact details).