Tennis court improvements at Mansfield park follow new deal with Lawn Tennis Association

Work has started on the eight tennis courts at Racecourse Park, which will be remarked and resurfaced in a project costing more than £150,000.

Mansfield Council is working with the Lawn Tennis Association and has appointed an LTA-approved contractor for the works.

The authority, the trustee for the park, says significant work is needed to ensure the courts are “in a useable condition”.

They were last resurfaced and marked in about 2008 and are “in need of extensive repairs and resurfacing”.

The council has signed an agreement with the LTA, which will support and fund the works before the council resumes long-term maintenance of the courts.

The improvements are due to be carried out later in the summer.

In a report, Andy Chambers, council parks development officer, said: “It would provide top-quality surfacing and access for all and replace the existing surfacing within the courts that are in need of major investment to enable it to remain open.

“The facility will provide quality tennis courts for the next generation and many generations that follow.”

The council report confirms an online booking system will be introduced once the tennis courts are refurbished, via the Clubspark system.

This is the same system used to book courts at Mansfield Lawn Tennis Club, off Pheasant Hill.

It comes as part of a new agreement with the LTA which also requires the council to repaint surfaces in the future and resurface the courts again within 15 years.

The authority must also provide LTA-approved tennis coaching programmes on the courts “to enable growth and take-up in the sport”.

Some of these programmes, the agreement says, must be free, and the council says these will be provided by its leisure contractor Serco.

Mr Chambers said: “The LTA will manage the procurement of the works and a quantity surveying company will manage the project from start to finish and until the official handover.

“The proposed works include full resurfacing and marking of eight courts, new nets on all courts, perimeter fencing repairs and replacement and a Smart access gate system to accommodate court bookings.”

In total, the repairs and future projects on the tennis courts will cost £151,326.58, all funded through the LTA.