Padel and football centre approved on Flintshire industrial site

A new padel club and indoor football pitch will open at the former Greg Dimplex site in Buckley after planning permission was granted. <i>(Image: Flintshire County Council)</i>
A new padel club and indoor football pitch will open at the former Greg Dimplex site in Buckley after planning permission was granted. (Image: Flintshire County Council)
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A new joint padel and football facility is to be built within part of the former Greg Dimplex site in Buckley.

Flintshire County Council’s Planning Committee has approved plans to convert half of the existing industrial site into a leisure facility, featuring a padel club, indoor football pitch, gym facilities and a cafe.

These would all be housed within an existing building on the site at the junction of Chesney Road and Drury New Road that has formerly been home to Japanese electronic component manufacturer Optech, Airbus’ Hawker Siddeley arm and Greg Dimplex medical refrigeration units.

Half of the site is currently occupied by an electrical contractor. There are no plans currently to create any outdoor sports activity spaces.

A statement read out to the committee on behalf of applicant Mark Jones said: “This proposal represents a significant private investment that will transform a long-underutilised building into a vibrant community asset, delivering lasting social, economic, and environmental benefits.

“The development will provide a welcoming, inclusive destination that promotes healthier lifestyles, encourages social interaction, and enhances the quality of life for people of all ages.

“By delivering modern leisure facilities within Buckley, the proposal will reduce the need for residents to travel elsewhere, retain local expenditure, and strengthen the town as an attractive place to live, work, and visit.”

Councillors agreed the application would bring positive benefits.

“We are talking about an indoor leisure venue,” said Buckley Pentrobin Cllr Mike Peers. “This site is close to Buckley train station, so visitors from other areas are able to reach the site using public transport.

“I fully support the vision of the applicant in looking at this and saying, ‘well, you know what? I could do something with that’.

“You do not like to see empty buildings and if it can be used to bring benefits, with leisure coming back into Buckley, with the train, and the bus links, it is a sustainable site.

“I fully support this proposal to bring alternative leisure facilities to Buckley.”

The committee voted unanimously to grant the application.

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