A major refurbishment project at Tipton Sports Academy (managed by Sandwell Leisure Trust) has created brand-new outdoor tennis and netball courts for the local community.
A combination of £47,00 funding from Enovert Community Trust* plus support from Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council and England Netball (for a total £80,000 investment) has totally transformed this underused outdoor space - with high-quality all-weather macadam courts, allowing year-round play regardless of the weather. New and improved ground drainage has also been installed, with the courts having a striking textured blue finish and marked out for both tennis and netball.
In addition, new perimeter fencing has been fitted for safety and security. Another exciting feature includes the full refurbishment of the practice wall area, which has been brought back into use for warm-ups and training by tennis players - and also the rapidly expanding collection of padel enthusiasts who are taking advantage of the three indoor community padel courts that recently opened.
Councillor Suzanne Hartwell, Sandwell MBC’s Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Neighbourhoods and Community said: “I am delighted to see how the successful bid for Enovert funding of £47,000, by Sandwell Leisure Trust (SLT), is reinstating our outdoor activity space at Tipton Sports Academy - including provision of outdoor tennis and netball courts and a practice activity area for young people just in time for the summer holidays.
“We are always striving to find ways to invest and improve our much-loved facilities for the residents of Sandwell to enjoy and become more active together.” Enovert Community Trust Manager, Angela Haymonds, added: “Having all weather courts available for the local community to use is so important and the Trust was delighted that the project included full access for disabled participants.
“We hope the brand-new courts will bring different sports together to socialise and encourage more people to get actively involved.” Tennis and netball are taking centre stage, with opportunities for coaching, match play, and casual sessions, plus the outdoor courts will also complement TSA’s existing indoor tennis facilities by offering a more accessible and lower-cost option for peak and weekend times.
The introduction of dedicated outdoor netball courts is particularly timely, given many netball sessions currently rely on school sites, which are not always available to the public. These new courts are bookable by clubs and individuals alike, and are set to support a variety of initiatives, including Back to Netball and Walking Netball - encouraging more people of all ages and abilities to get active.
The new macadam courts officially launched on Friday 25th July with an open family event, with opportunities to take part in tennis tasters, netball shooting challenges and pickleball - and outdoor tennis and netball bookings can now be made.
*Enovert Community Trust (ECT) operates under the rules of the Landfills Community Fund (LCF) receiving an income of landfill tax credits from Enovert of approximately over £2.5 million a year. ECT allocates these funds to high-quality projects, with a view to making as many community and environmental grants as possible.
