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Work starts next week on major improvements to tennis courts in Maidenbower, Southgate and West Green.

The nine courts – four in West Green Park, three in Maidenbower Park and two in Southgate Park – will be refurbished and upgraded over the next few months, before the tennis season gets into full swing.

Improvements include court surfaces, nets, posts, fencing and on online booking system linked to access-controlled gates to ensure all residents can guarantee their court booking slot.

A comprehensive weekly schedule of programmed activity will also be added which will include coaching and competition for all ages and abilities as well as weekly free opportunities too.

On 9 January, work starts on the new fencing around Maidenbower Park’s tennis courts and is expected to take about a week.

The following week, fencing and resurfacing work starts at the courts in West Green Park; this is expected to take about four weeks.

On 23 January, resurfacing work at Southgate Park starts and should take about three weeks to complete.

New access footpaths to the tennis courts at Southgate and West Green parks will be constructed in February and March.

Temporary play lines will be used where courts are being resurfaced. The courts in Maidenbower will be pressure cleaned. All nine courts will be colour sprayed in spring, when the weather improves.

Two of the three facilities will remain open for use at all times. All dates are subject to weather conditions.

As soon as the renovations are complete, the online court booking system will go live on the ºÚÁÏÍøÕ¾ Borough Council website; it’s easy to use and money generated from bookings will pay for court improvements in the future.

An annual season ticket covering all courts will cost ºÚÁÏÍøÕ¾ residents £45 per annum per household or £7.50 per hour on a pay per play basis. An additional fee will be payable for the use of floodlights at West Green Park.

In addition, the courts will play host to organised, paid-for coaching sessions as well as free tennis coaching sessions in Maidenbower and West Green. These free sessions restart in Maidenbower in March.

This funding is part of the UK Government and LTA’s joint investment of more than £30million to refurbish public tennis courts across Britain and support a new generation of players to get into the sport.

For up-to-date information visit our tennis page.