Rooftop Padel Courts Planned for Merrion Centre Car Park Leeds 2026

Key Points

• Development Proposal: Planning permission has been requested to build eight premium padel courts on the rooftop of the multi-storey car park at the Merrion Centre in Leeds city centre.
• Structural Outline: The project comprises seven indoor courts sheltered inside a detached aluminium-framed enclosure alongside one fully open-air outdoor court.
• On-Site Amenities: Beyond the playing surfaces, the scheme details a dedicated registration reception hub, an operating bar, and changing facilities fitted out with showers.
• Parking Impact: Building the sports layout requires taking over the entire uppermost floor of the car park, leading to a direct reduction of 128 existing vehicle spaces.
• Current Operations: The multi-storey site, originally constructed during the 1960s, is managed by CitiPark and provides 960 parking spaces across eight staggered tiers.
• Planning Authorities: Leeds City Council is explicitly reviewing the full planning submission, which remains open to local consultation responses until Wednesday, 3 June.

Leeds (The Leeds Times) May 18, 2026 — As reported by Don Mort, a Local Democracy Reporter for the Bradford Telegraph and Argus, property development firm Town Centre Securities has formally entered a full planning application seeking permission to construct eight premium padel tennis courts directly on the rooftop level of the existing Merrion Centre multi-storey car park. The targeted location forms the eighth floor of a building complex situated in the middle of Leeds city centre.

According to the design documents filed by ID Planning on behalf of the applicant, the targeted construction zone is limited entirely to the uppermost tier of the multi-storey facility. If city planning officials approve the application, the venue will host seven indoor courts enclosed within a detached, freestanding aluminium-framed building structure alongside one outdoor court exposed to the elements.

How Will the New Sports Complex Affect City Centre Parking Capacities?

As outlined by journalist Clementine Hall of The Hoot Leeds, the implementation of the leisure facility will directly result in the loss of 128 parking spaces on the top level of the garage structure.

The multi-storey car park, which was initially built during the 1960s, is presently operated by the parking management brand CitiPark.

The entire venue currently accommodates up to 960 vehicles across its eight levels of operational parking. Documents submitted to the local authority establish that the remaining seven lower floors will continue to serve standard vehicle parking operations unchanged, meaning the overall capacity of the inner-city car park will drop down to 832 operational parking spaces.

What Specific Amenities and Structural Layouts Are Outlined in the Planning Documents?

As reported by Don Mort of the Bradford Telegraph and Argus, the structural layout detailed in the full planning files shows that the complex is meant to offer more than just basic sporting courts.

The detached aluminium-framed building designed for the eighth floor will protect seven of the courts from changing weather conditions, while an eighth court will be built completely uncovered.

Beyond the playing boundaries, the design includes ancillary participant services. A dedicated reception area will handle player bookings, check-ins, and racket hires.

Furthermore, the blueprints show an on-site bar for socialising alongside changing rooms and fully plumbed shower units for players after their matches.

Why Have Developers Targeted the Merrion Centre Rooftop for Padel Tennis?

In the official design statement compiled by ID Planning, the consultancy group specified the broader social and cultural factors driving the application. As reported by Don Mort, ID Planning stated that:

“Padel is widely recognised as a fast-growing racket sport, combining elements of tennis and squash in a format that is social, inclusive and relatively easy to learn. Its increasing popularity across the UK has led to a notable rise in demand for accessible indoor courts, particularly in larger urban areas.”

The architectural and planning documents stress that the rooftop development represents a highly sustainable re-use of an under-utilised urban surface.

The firm noted that the location sits very close to several high-rise student accommodation blocks, active city offices, busy retail stores, and popular restaurants.

As reported by the Bradford Telegraph and Argus, the formal report submitted by the developers concluded that:

“Overall, the proposed development represents a sustainable and appropriate form of development within a highly accessible city centre location.”

The developers argue that adding the complex to the shopping area will directly support healthy lifestyles among the growing city centre population.

What Are the Next Steps for the Council’s Planning Committee?

Leeds City Council is currently assessing the application under standard planning policies. The entire submission has been opened to public scrutiny, allowing nearby business operators, city residents, and transport groups to file their formal observations.

As reported by Clementine Hall of The Hoot Leeds, the full planning application is officially out for public consultation until Wednesday, 3 June. Following the closing date for public comments, the case will be reviewed by Leeds City Council’s planning department for a final decision.

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Background of the Particular Development

The proposal to introduce a rooftop sports complex at the Merrion Centre comes amidst a significant, region-wide expansion of padel facilities across West Yorkshire. Leeds has rapidly grown into one of the UK’s primary hubs for the sport, with data from regional play directories showing the city already hosts more than 15 active padel clubs providing a combined total of over 60 distinct courts.

This specific application by Town Centre Securities follows a series of recent planning decisions by Leeds City Council regarding alternative padel developments. Earlier in the spring, Slazenger Padel Clubs moved forward with plans via Local Democracy Reporter Don Mort to convert a large industrial warehouse unit on Millshaw Park Lane in Beeston into a 13-court premium indoor padel hub.

This added to their massive 12-court site on Coal Road in Seacroft, which is widely recognised as one of the largest indoor padel setups in the country.

Furthermore, the Leeds Civic Trust recently detailed a committee decision in March approving the transformation of the historic 180-year-old railway Roundhouse building into a multi-court padel centre featuring nine outdoor courts and one indoor court.

The decision to target the roof of the CitiPark facility reflects a growing architectural trend of repurposing mid-century concrete infrastructure. Built in the 1960s as a core component of the Merrion Centre’s brutalist urban design, the car park was built to cater to heavy private vehicle use.

However, as Leeds City Council continues to implement pedestrianisation schemes and green public transport policies across the city centre, older multi-storey car parks have seen lower vehicle occupancies on their upper levels, making them ideal targets for commercial and leisure conversions.

Prediction

If Leeds City Council grants full planning approval for the project, the development is expected to have a noticeable impact on local city centre residents, commuting office professionals, and the wider retail ecosystem of the Merrion Centre.

For the rapidly growing population of city centre residents—particularly the dense concentration of university students living in adjacent high-rise accommodation blocks—the venue will provide an accessible fitness option right on their doorstep. Because padel is traditionally played in a doubles format and features a gentler learning curve than traditional tennis or squash, it functions heavily as a social activity. The addition of a rooftop bar and social hub will likely turn the top of the car park into a popular after-work and weekend hub for young professionals looking for active entertainment without leaving the city centre.