Shrewsbury School has asked its local authority for permission to build three padel courts, the Shropshire Star has reported.

Shrewsbury is a co-educational boarding school for pupils aged 13 to 18.

Plans submitted by BCHN Architects stated the courts would add to the “existing wide-ranging sports provision” and provide “further sporting opportunities for the pupils both as formal games and informal recreational activity”.

A spokesperson for the school said: “The new padel courts will be used by pupils for both structured activities in the evenings and weekends, and also for informal recreational use.

The school resisted suggestions that the courts might be open to community use citing safeguarding concerns.