Skip to content 
Sports and Tennis Court Surfacing
Specialist sports and tennis court surfacing for facilities that can't afford downtime
Your courts aren’t just lines on the ground. They’re where your guests play, your students compete, your members train.
But surfaces that look decent on day one can turn into liability nightmares within two years. Cracks letting water through to the base. Uneven bounce frustrating players. Drainage so poor you’re closed for 24 hours after every rainfall.
Get surfaces that actually handle what you throw at them
You need courts that drain fast, wear slowly, and meet the standards your sport demands. Whether that’s LTA compliance for competitive tennis or SAPCA specs for multi-sport use.
We deliver this across South West England, South Wales, and the Thames Valley. Design through to installation, with ongoing maintenance keeping surfaces performing long after we’ve left.
What we can deliver for your site...
Why courts fail faster than they should
The real-world impact...
There's a better way to build courts...
Surfaces built for your climate and your traffic levels Performance that lasts seasons, not just months
Actually meets sporting standards:
LTA porous court specifications, ITF Court Pace Rating compliance, SAPCA construction standards. Pass inspections, host competitions, satisfy governing bodies.
Usable 30 minutes after rain:
Proper drainage gradients (0.5%-1% minimum), porous base layers, effective subsurface drainage. Courts available when your competitors are still closed.
Built for your traffic intensity:
Whether it's 50 annual hours for a holiday park or 2,000 hours for a school. Foundation depth, wearing course specification, drainage capacity all matched to usage.
Stays playable through winter:
Frost-resistant construction, ice-prevention drainage, surfaces that don't crack when temperatures drop. Year-round revenue, not seasonal closures.
Multi-sport capable when needed:
Line marking for netball, basketball, five-a-side without compromising tennis performance. One surface, multiple revenue streams.
Accessible to everyone:
1.2m clearance routes for wheelchairs, perimeter fencing meeting DDA requirements, safe surrounds preventing trip hazards. Inclusive facilities keeping you compliant.
Why facility managers choose Highways Plus
You’re managing budgets, keeping guests happy, maintaining standards across multiple facilities. You need contractors who actually finish projects and don’t vanish the moment something needs fixing.
What sets us apart
We've built courts that actually last:
Twenty-five years delivering sports surfaces across the region. Courts we installed in 2010 still hosting tournaments today, not being ripped up and rebuilt.
Your usage levels dictate our specification:
Holiday park with 200 guests weekly gets different foundation depth than a school serving 800 students. We match construction to traffic, not the other way around.
Fixed-fee options available:
Transparent pricing with clear scope. Change control only for genuine scope changes, not gaps in our original proposal.
LTA, ITF, and SAPCA compliant:
Not “built to similar standards” – actually meets governing body specifications. Documentation proving compliance when you need it.
Rapid surface drainage as standard:
Porous asphalt construction, proper gradients, subsurface drainage systems. Courts playable whilst your neighbours are still waiting for puddles to evaporate.
Maintenance partnership, not just installation:
Planned resurfacing every 6-8 years, reactive repairs within 48 hours, coating refreshes extending surface life. One partner throughout ownership.
A clear, structured process that keeps your site running
Courts need proper investigation before any digging starts. Foundation prep completed right. Surface installation following manufacturer specifications exactly.
What you get...
Most installations run through phased delivery – investigation and design confirming specifications, followed by construction completing courts ready for immediate use.
Typical timelines: single court installations 4-6 weeks, multi-court facilities 6-10 weeks, resurfacing existing courts 2-3 weeks with minimal operational disruption.
Site assessment and design consultation:
We assess existing ground conditions, drainage patterns, sun orientation, tree coverage. You get specification recommendations matching your sport, traffic, and budget with detailed drawings.
Foundation preparation and drainage installation:
Base excavation, geotextile installation, free-draining stone aggregate compacted to 98% density. Subsurface drainage systems preventing water accumulation.
Court surface construction:
Asphalt base course installation (40mm), wearing course application (25mm), or synthetic surface laying. Proper curing periods, manufacturer specifications followed exactly.
Line marking, fencing, and completion:
Acrylic or polyurethane coating with precise line marking for your sports. Net posts, fencing, gates installed. Floodlighting commissioned if specified.
Tennis court surfacing CASE STUDY
Secondary school facility, Gloucestershire
The Challenge:
- Existing macadam courts had deteriorated significantly after 14 years, with extensive cracking allowing water penetration to base layers.
- Surface unevenness created trip hazards and unpredictable ball bounce. Drainage failures meant courts closed 24-48 hours after rainfall. PE curriculum disrupted, after-school clubs cancelled regularly.
- School explored full reconstruction quotes of £95,000-£140,000 for three courts, but budget constraints limited options to around £60,000.
Our Solution:
- Detailed assessment revealed base structure remained sound - failure was purely in wearing course and surface drainage.
- Implemented targeted resurfacing solution rather than complete reconstruction. Crack repairs addressing all structural defects, improved drainage gradients, fresh porous wearing course application.
- Added line marking for netball and basketball alongside tennis, creating true multi-sport capability from tennis-only courts. Completed works during Easter and May half-term minimizing curriculum disruption.
The Outcome:
- Three courts resurfaced for £58,000 - 50% saving versus full reconstruction
- Courts playable within 30 minutes of rain versus 24-hour closures previously
- Multi-sport capability added netball, basketball, five-a-side to facility offerings
- Works completed across six weeks of school holidays - zero PE lesson disruption
- Surface guaranteed for eight years with planned maintenance schedule
Proven delivery of tennis courts and sports surfacing across diverse sectors
Whether you’re running leisure facilities, educational campuses, private clubs, or public facilities, you need courts that handle your specific traffic and usage patterns.
Sectors that rely on us:
Holiday parks and leisure facilities:
Tourist accommodation requiring courts that enhance guest experience. Attractive surfaces withstanding seasonal peaks, minimal maintenance burden, aesthetic finishes complementing site standards.
Schools, colleges, and universities:
Educational facilities serving hundreds of students daily. Multi-sport capable surfaces, curriculum-supporting specifications, installation scheduled around academic calendars.
Sports clubs and tennis centres:
Membership clubs and coaching facilities needing LTA compliance. Competition-grade surfaces, proper lighting, maintenance programmes supporting intensive usage.
Hotels and resorts:
Hospitality venues where courts are guest amenities. Premium finishes, reliable performance, rapid repairs maintaining five-star standards.
Local authorities and public facilities:
Council-operated courts serving community needs. Durable construction handling public usage, vandal-resistant specifications, accessible design meeting DDA requirements.
Corporate and private estates:
Business parks, residential developments, private homes. Bespoke specifications, aesthetic integration, premium materials delivering long-term value.
Your Tennis court surfacing questions, answered...
How long does a tennis court installation take?
Single court: 4-6 weeks from groundworks to completion. Multiple courts: 6-10 weeks depending on site complexity. Resurfacing existing courts: 2-3 weeks. We schedule around your operational needs – schools get holiday installation, holiday parks get off-season work.
What's the difference between porous and non-porous courts?
Porous courts (our recommendation) drain through the surface within 30 minutes of rain stopping. Non-porous courts rely on gradient drainage, often staying wet for hours. Porous construction costs 15-20% more initially but dramatically reduces downtime and extends surface life.
How often do courts need resurfacing?
Macadam courts: coating refresh every 4-6 years, wearing course replacement every 10-15 years. Artificial grass: 8-12 years before carpet replacement. Polymeric surfaces: 10-15 years depending on traffic. Proper maintenance extends all these timelines significantly.
Can you add multiple sports to one court?
Yes. Line marking for tennis, netball, basketball, five-a-side, volleyball – all on one surface. We design line colours minimizing confusion. Multi-sport capability works best on macadam or polymeric surfaces rather than artificial grass.
Do your courts meet LTA and governing body standards?
Yes. We build to LTA porous court specifications, achieve ITF Court Pace Rating compliance when required, follow SAPCA Code of Practice standards. Documentation provided confirming compliance for competition hosting or funding applications.
What happens if drainage fails after installation?
We warranty drainage performance as part of our installation guarantee. Courts not draining within 30 minutes of rainfall get remedial work at our cost. Proper specification and construction means this virtually never happens.
Can you work around our operational schedule?
Yes. Schools get holiday installation, holiday parks get off-season scheduling, clubs get phased delivery maintaining some courts operational. We plan around your calendar, not the other way around.
What maintenance do courts actually need?
Weekly: brushing to remove debris, checking nets and posts. Monthly: detailed inspection for early crack detection. Annually: pressure washing, minor crack repairs. Every 4-6 years: coating refresh. Every 10-15 years: wearing course replacement. We offer maintenance contracts covering all of this.
How much does a tennis court actually cost?
Single macadam court: £35,000-£55,000 fully installed. Artificial grass: £45,000-£65,000. Polymeric surface: £50,000-£70,000. Multi-court facilities benefit from economy of scale. Resurfacing existing courts: £8,000-£15,000 per court depending on condition. We provide fixed-fee quotes after site assessment.
Need to understand what's required for your facility?
Book a Free, No-Obligation Tennis court surfacing Assessment
We’ll assess your site or existing courts, identify drainage or structural issues affecting performance, recommend surface types matching your usage and budget, provide written quotation with specifications.
No obligation, no sales pressure – just expert advice from specialists who’ve delivered hundreds of tennis court and sports surfacing projects across leisure, education, and sporting facilities.
Call or fill out our form and we'll be in touch within 24 hours.
Civil engineering and infrastruction
Latest surfacing and civil's advice and news
