BUCKLEY has been prioritised in the top three areas of Wales to receive new indoor sports facilities as part of a nationwide scheme.

The Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) has revealed ambitious plans to develop hundreds of new indoor tennis courts in communities across Great Britain over the next 10 years.

Its future investment in facilities will be based on detailed analysis of potential demand through the country.

The governing body for tennis in Britain has identified 96 priority target areas in England, Scotland and Wales for the development of new indoor courts - and Buckley has been listed as Wales' third highest priority area for the scheme behind Bridgend and Caerphilly.

The target locations have been prioritised according to the number of potential players in each area, with demographic profiles of the population for each target community used to ensure new facilities are developed in a way that also helps to broaden the participation base of the game.

Scott Lloyd, LTA Chief Executive, said: “More indoor facilities across England, Scotland and Wales are absolutely crucial to our ambition to open up tennis to many more people.

"When I joined the LTA last year I was determined to make facility investment a priority and use my experience in this area to implement this more targeted approach.

“We are already making progress with several new indoor tennis centres currently going through the planning process in Scotland, and I am looking forward to us working with local authorities and partners in all of our target locations across the whole of Britain”.

The plans were announced by the LTA at an event in New Palace Yard at the Houses of Parliament, hosted by the Speaker of the House of Commons, John Bercow MP.

Mr Bercow said: “Whilst the grass court tennis season is one of the highlights of the British summer, tennis is a sport that can be played year-round by anyone, whatever their ability, background, fitness or age.

“The LTA is working hard up to open tennis up to as many people as possible, and the new targeted approach to investment in indoor facilities announced today in Parliament is an important step in providing more places for people to play tennis around the country”.

Rt Hon Jeremy Wright MP, Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, said: “Ensuring that there are quality indoor tennis facilities throughout the country is vital to helping drive increased year-round participation in the sport.

“I congratulate the LTA for their evidence-based approach to facility investment, and hope the new facilities that will be built over the next decade will provide opportunities for more people to play tennis and enjoy the social and health benefits that taking part in the sport provides”.

To shape the new facilities and ensure they provide opportunities for people to get active through tennis in a way that is right for them, the LTA has developed a model design and indicative costings for new community indoor tennis centres. The investment from the LTA for these will be provided in the form of an interest free strategic loan scheme.

The new facilities being developed will add to the current total of more than 1,400 indoor courts at over 300 venues across the country, including the existing network of community indoor tennis centres (CITCs) supported by the LTA, commercial clubs and tennis club venues

The LTA's other target areas for North Wales include Prestatyn and Bangor.

Cheshire West and Chester has also been identified as priority 48 for England.