We, the undersigned athletes, coaches, and parents associated with Notts Athletics Club, strongly oppose Nottingham City Council’s proposal to repurpose the indoor athletics track at Harvey Hadden Sports Village into two padel courts.

The indoor track is a vital facility for athletes of all ages and disciplines in Nottinghamshire. It serves as a year-round and weather-proof training venue for hundreds of athletes in events including:

        •       Sprinting

        •       Hurdles

        •       Long jump and triple jump

        •       High jump

        •       Pole vault

        •       Throws

During the winter months, this facility becomes essential for maintaining training continuity, safety, and performance standards. Without access to an indoor track, our athletes will be left with nowhere suitable to train, particularly during adverse weather conditions.

This decision would have devastating consequences, including:

        •       Loss of training opportunities for young athletes, many of whom aspire to regional and national competition.

        •       Reduced competitiveness of Nottinghamshire athletes compared to those from neighbouring counties (such as Yorkshire, Derbyshire, and Leicestershire), where indoor facilities remain available.

        •       Detrimental effects on athlete development, coaching programmes, and community sport engagement.

        •       Wasted investment in athletics infrastructure that has served the local community for decades.

The proposed conversion prioritises a commercial leisure activity (padel) over the long-term development of grassroots and competitive athletics. While we support the introduction of new sports, this must not come at the cost of established, irreplaceable community facilities.

We urge Nottingham City Council to:

        1.      Abandon the proposal to repurpose the indoor track for padel courts.

        2.      Engage in genuine consultation with local athletics clubs, coaches, and athletes.

        3.      Explore alternative locations for padel development that do not compromise existing athletic infrastructure.

Harvey Hadden Sports Village was built to support the city’s athletes and to promote sporting excellence and inclusivity. Removing the indoor track contradicts these aims and will irreparably damage athletics in Nottingham.

We call on Nottingham City Council to protect this crucial facility for current and future generations of athletes.