Witham Town FC plans seven padel courts and a £53,000 fence around its pitch. MP Priti Patel visited the club, which draws more than 250 fans on a Saturday.

Witham Town Football Club plans to build seven all-weather padel courts at its ground and is replacing the wall around its pitch with new fencing at a cost of £53,000. Priti Patel, the MP for Witham, visited the club to hear about the plans.

Witham is about nine miles north-east of Chelmsford along the A12.

Padel courts and a new fence

The padel plan is for five doubles courts and two singles courts, which would be run by Padel Essex. Ms Patel’s office said the application was due to go before Braintree District Council’s planning committee on 19 September. Its account of the visit does not say what the committee decided.

The fence is being put up at the request of the Football Association. The wall that runs around the pitch is coming down, and the work is expected to take place in December and January.

A white wall beside the pitch at Witham Town Football Club with a sign reading Our Home Is Your Home, Football Healthy 4 Life, and the club crest
The wall beside the pitch at Witham Town Football Club. Photo: supplied by the Office of Priti Patel MP

A club that has grown

The club now runs several youth teams and a women’s team, and first-team matches regularly draw more than 250 supporters on a Saturday, according to the MP’s office. Its wider social value to the town has been estimated at more than £2.8 million.

Ms Patel met club representatives to talk about its development, the growth of its youth and women’s football, and its hope of making the ground “an even greater sporting and community hub”. They also discussed longer-term plans to make the site more sustainable, attract more investment, and improve parking and facilities as the club grows.

Priti Patel between a man in a navy Witham Town training top and a man in a yellow Simarco shirt, leaning on a yellow rail outside the clubhouse
Priti Patel with club representatives outside the clubhouse. Photo: supplied by the Office of Priti Patel MP

What the MP said

Ms Patel said: “Always a pleasure to visit Witham Town Football Club and hear about the enormous contribution the Club is making to sport in our town.

“Grassroots sport is about so much more than what happens on the pitch. Clubs like Witham Town bring people together, give young people opportunities, support women’s and youth football, provide a focus for the community and depend on the hard work of volunteers, players, supporters and local sponsors.

“With a social value of more than £2.8 million, growing attendances and more teams taking part, the club is demonstrating just how important grassroots sport is to our communities.”

She added: “I was also pleased to hear about the club’s ambitious plans for the future, including new investment in its facilities and proposals for padel courts which would help broaden the sporting opportunities available locally.

“Witham Town Football Club has the potential to become an even greater sporting and community hub for the town. I will continue to support the club, help with the issues they have raised with me and champion grassroots sport across the Witham constituency.”

Priti Patel stands in front of a green sign reading Welcome to Witham Town Football Club, sponsored by Simarco Worldwide Logistics
Priti Patel at the entrance sign of Witham Town Football Club. Photo: supplied by the Office of Priti Patel MP