A padel club with five courts will be built on playing fields in Prestwich as "Europe’s fastest growing sport" continues its rise.

Pure Padel Clubs Ltd will build the new club on land formerly known as Brooklands playing fields at the Manchester Maccabi Community and Sports Club on Bury Old Road.

The new club will have four covered padel courts, an uncovered padel court, two pickleball courts, a clubhouse and revised car and cycling parking.

The club will run on a pay and play basis and will be open to all members of the community.

A letter of support for the plans was submitted by Sam Foakes, interim head of region, of the Lawn Tennis Association who are the Sport England recognised governing body for padel.

He said: “Padel is a growing sport in Great Britain.

“There are currently 350 courts with a further 300 in construction or in the planning process.

"More than 90,000 people play padel in Great Britain.

“With the sport being the fastest growing in Europe this number is set to grow but will be dependent on the infrastructure being in place to enable participation.

"There is therefore a clear unmet demand for the proposed development, particularly given the level of interest in padel.”

He added that padel cannot be played on a tennis court, MUGA or sports hall and there are currently no padel courts in the northern Greater Manchester area.

Opening hours for the club are envisaged to be from 9am to 10pm and it will be staffed independently of the Maccabi Community and Sports Club by Pure Padel.

Each padel court has six high fixed lighting masts facing inwards towards the playing surface.

The application said this will ensure that lighting levels are suitable for playing while ensuring residential amenity is protected.

The supporting planning statement also recognised that the building of the club would result in the loss of some playing fields.

It states: “It is noted that policy resists development which results in the loss of recreation facilities including playing fields.

"However it is the applicant’s position that the proposed development would fall under the exception where sports and recreation facilities can best be retained and enhanced through the redevelopment of a small part of the site.”

The council has now approved the plans.