Shropshire school unveils indoor tennis centre scheme
A Shropshire school is hoping to compete with other colleges by expanding its sporting facilities with an indoor tennis centre.
Ellesmere College has put forward the plans for the tennis building in the hope it will be able to offer year-round facilities for its budding sports stars.
The tennis centre, which will include changing rooms, would be a new "class base for sports education" and allow the college to offer its tennis academy all year.
In its plans, Ellesmere College said that the courts would be used "for both the internal curriculum and internal competitions as well as to host external college competitions".
It added: "The college provides an extensive tennis academy to the students all year round.
"They currently have open air tennis provision but the facility closes during periods of poor weather which has a detrimental effect on the curriculum.
"The new indoor facility will allow the college to provide tennis facilities all year round which will help them meet their business model by providing a tennis academy throughout the year.
"This facility will allow the college to compete with similar colleges in the region and nationwide who already offer tennis academies all year round."
It continued: "The college has suffered in the past where prospective students have gone to other institutions as the college could not provide the year-round facilities required.
"The facility will also be open to the public during the periods when the college is closed. The college already provides other sport provisions to the public and this new facility will meet the public requirements in the local area."
The tennis centre, which would be made up of four courts, would be situated on grounds that are not used at the moment because the area becomes waterlogged after heavy rain.
It would be away from the road and original college building and construction would be self-contained by its own access.
The scheme also includes plans for a new car park to accommodate the centre with 40 spaces and three fully accessible parking spaces. The plans are available to view on the Shropshire Council website.
