Plans have been lodged for new padel courts, as the trendy sport continues to sweep across the county.

Often described as a hybrid between tennis and squash, padel has been gaining popularity in the past few years with new play areas opening all over Kent.

Now, Sandwich is getting in on the game as a bid for three new courts at the town’s tennis club is set to go before Dover District Council (DDC).

The play spaces would replace one of the tarmac tennis courts at the Sandown Road site and include high glass and mesh enclosures and floodlights.

Planning documents say padel is the fastest growing sport in the UK, with over 90,000 people across the country taking up the game.

“The sport is very sociable and easy to play. It is played on an enclosed court around a third of the size of a tennis court, and is more accessible than tennis, as a far wider range of ages and abilities can enjoy it from their very first game,” the literature states.

“The close proximity of the players makes for an extremely sociable game.”

Interest in padel in Kent surged last year.

A “dull and unwanted” tennis court in Victoria Park, Deal, was transformed into a spot for padel and Brookfield Industrial Estate in Ashford opened a site last September.

Whitstable Rugby Club in Chestfield now also welcomes players, and plans have been submitted to Canterbury City Council for new courts at King’s School Recreation Centre, too.

The game, which started in Mexico in 1969, became popular throughout South America and Spain and has now taken Britain by storm, with huge demand for memberships of clubs.

It is similar to squash but usually played in doubles, played with a smaller racket and a lighter-weight ball that must bounce first before hitting surrounding walls.

A spokesperson for the club said: “Like many tennis clubs across the country, we are considering Padel Tennis due to its popularity, rapid growth and most importantly, its accessibility to a broad range of abilities and age groups.

“[The new padel courts] would be a terrific additional facility for the Sandwich community.”

Plans for the new courts in Sandwich were submitted to DDC’s planning team on April 15.

A decision on whether the project can go ahead is expected in the coming months.