Sports star seeks planning permission for unique sporting facility in Ballina
Jack Carty and his business partner Fergal Hynes have sought planning permission to turn a storage warehouse into Padel courts in Ballina. Picture: INPHO/Dan Sheridan
Connacht rugby player Jack Carty and his business partner Fergal Hynes have sought planning permission to turn a storage warehouse in Ballina into padel courts.
The partners have made an application to Mayo County Council seeking to change the use of the warehouse at Abbeyhalfquarter at the IDA Industrial Estate, Bunree to a recreational and leisure facility consisting of four indoor padel courts. The application includes plans for signage, car and bicycle parking and all associated ancillary site works.
In a planning statement submitted as part of the application, OMD Design on behalf of Mr Carty and Mr Hynes said that the warehouse unit, built in 2007/2008 is the ideal size for the proposed padel courts due to its double height and space.
They described padel, which is similar to squash and tennis and played on enclosed courts, as the fastest growing sport in the world with over 30 million players worldwide and is fun and inclusive for all ages and all abilities. It uses the same scoring rules as lawn tennis but is played on enclosed courts which are roughly a third smaller.
They said the proposed facility will be the first of its kind, offering all-weather, all-year-round sports and leisure offering. It is proposed that the hours of operation for the facility would be 9am to 11pm, Monday to Sunday.
“We feel that this proposal will be a very positive leisure and recreational addition to the Ballina area and is in keeping with the Bunree Roads Industrial Estate’s historical provision of a facility of this type,” said Paul Williams of OMD Design.
Mr Carty, who has made over 200 appearances for Connacht since his debut in 2012, and Mr Hynes opened the first padel court in the west of Ireland in July. The three court facility is located in Corrib Business Park on the N84 outside Galway city.
They are now seeking to expand into county Mayo with Mayo County Council set to make a decision on this planning application by February 12, 2026.
