A TENNIS club with just 60 members has outlined an ambitious £90,000 expansion plan for an all-year-round facility for schools and the community.

Beckfoot and Bingley Tennis Club has put in a bid to Sport England for a grant of just over £60,000 to replace two of its four shale courts with all-weather playing surfaces.

Another £25,000 of investment is expected from a windfall payment following the closure of Keighley Tennis Club.

The Bingley club also wants to install floodlights and make improvements to the currently unheated clubhouse and create a hard surfaced car park.

Its plans have received backing from the Lawn Tennis Association, local politicians and Bradford Council.

Club secretary Solna Burnham said the goal over five years was to increase annual visits from 2,000 to around 6,000.

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She said the existing shale courts required a lot of maintenance and were unusable between October and April.

The club now has a coach and is able to offer tennis coaching to children as young as four.

Last week children from Parkside School enjoyed their first coaching session with Laura Bowden, a level three coach from Bingley.

The Lawn Tennis Association has backed the funding application.

Gavin Sutcliffe, the LTA's tennis participation manager for West Yorkshire, said a change in playing surface from shale, which is only playable for five months a year, to tarmac, would have a significant impact on the club's playing hours and participation.

He said the plans would attract a tennis coach who would run open days for new members.

"Coupled with a more focused approach to working with new community partners and expanding the range of programme offers and flexible playing opportunities I feel this would be a great project to underpin the financial future of the club."

In a letter of support, Shipley MP Philip Davies said: "I fully support the funding application made by Beckfoot and Bingley Tennis Club for two all-weather courts with floodlighting.

"The proposal to replace two shale courts with an all-weather surface and instal floodlighting will significantly benefit the club by allowing its supporters to play tennis all year round."

He said the club was the only tennis club in Bingley and "therefore plays a vital and active part of the community."

He added: "I believe this proposal will not only effectively contribute towards the demand for its growth locally, but also to ensure that local talent is supported and developed.

"It will also enable them to continue to attract more children to take up tennis and keep active all year round."

Bradford Council's community sports development manager, Adrian Tolan, has also lent his support.

Mr Tolan said the proposed improvements would strengthen community access and ensure players can enjoy the sport all year round.

"The floodlighting will also extend access to the facilities throughout the year, provide a safer environment for training and a more attractive facility for parents wishing to introduce their child to a community club."

Mr Tolan said the club was a valuable sporting resource following the demise of courts at Bailey Hills in Bingley and the closure of Keighley Tennis Club.

The club has submitted plans to Bradford Council and is awaiting a decision on the Sport England grant application.