A new tennis centre is to open at Galashiels Academy in Scottish Borders as part of the Transforming Scottish Indoor Tennis (TSIT) project run by the LTA, LTA Tennis Foundation, sportscotland and Tennis Scotland.
The community facility has received just over £1.5 million from the TSIT fund to develop three covered tennis courts and two covered padel courts in partnership with Scottish Borders Council, enhancing the recently completed £64 million Galashiels school campus.
Under TSIT, the LTA, LTA Tennis Foundation, sportscotland and Tennis Scotland are working together to invest in Scotland’s indoor tennis infrastructure. TSIT is designed to support innovative and creative projects to meet local demand and fill the geographical gaps in indoor tennis provision that currently exist across Scotland. At £15 million, TSIT is the largest capital investment programme in the sport’s history in Scotland, and the aim is to create more and better opportunities to play tennis all year round.
Galashiels Academy will become the fourth TSIT venue, following new facilities at Oriam in Edinburgh, Moray Sports Centre and the King George V sports complex in Dumfries & Galloway, which have all opened within the past two-and-a-half years. The Galashiels facilities will be operated by Live Borders, building on its established role managing sport, leisure and cultural services across the region.
Featuring smart-access control and LED floodlights, with changing facilities already installed as part of the school investment, three artificial clay tennis courts under a canopy are set to open in early 2027 with work due to begin immediately. They will provide a further addition to an exceptional sports provision at Galashiels Academy, which already features an impressive 25m, six-lane swimming pool, gym facilities and is due to include 2G and 3G multi-purpose pitches.
The new courts will enhance an already thriving tennis community in the Scottish Borders, where there are 12 registered clubs and more than 1500 playing members. With a firm focus on growing participation among all ages and abilities, and accessibility, the courts are certain to provide an all-year round base from which the sport will continue to grow.
The new facility will also feature two canopy-covered padel courts, providing a further boost for the fast-growing sport in the Scottish Borders. Padel has enjoyed significant growth in recent years, and in their roles as governing bodies for the sport in Great Britain and Scotland, the LTA and Tennis Scotland are committed to investing in the infrastructure required to support that demand.
The state-of-the-art Galashiels Academy community campus opened to pupils in January 2026. It features education spaces designed to support the delivery of a 21st century curriculum, with attractive atrium spaces for collaboration and interaction as well as breakout spaces for flexible teaching. Enhanced sporting facilities include the swimming pool, hydrotherapy pool and indoor sports courts, which support the school but also benefit the wider community. This will be the case with the outdoor pitches and tennis centre.
Chief Executive of sportscotland Forbes Dunlop said:
“This is fantastic news for Borders communities and a landmark moment for tennis in the area. Beyond just a facility where people can play tennis year-round, this is about creating an environment where people can enjoy the sport and progress to whatever level they aspire to.
“The commitment of everyone involved in the TSIT fund to improving year-round access to tennis is clear and we will continue to work with local partners like Scottish Borders Council towards that goal.”
LTA Chief Executive Scott Lloyd:
"The new tennis centre at Galashiels Academy is another important milestone for the Transforming Scottish Indoor Tennis project and a significant investment in the future of tennis in the Scottish Borders.
“Having access to year-round courts will create more opportunities for people of all ages and abilities to play, while the artificial clay surface will provide valuable experience for players developing their game. Clay courts help improve movement, patience and tactical awareness, and increasing access to this type of surface is important in supporting the development of British players.
Blane Dodds, Chief Executive of Tennis Scotland:
“Our sport is flourishing in Scotland with more people playing tennis than ever before, so investment in outstanding new facilities like this is vital to meeting that demand.
“I am delighted that the thriving tennis community in Scottish Borders will be able to access all-year-round tennis and padel, giving more people access to our sports and benefitting both player development and health and wellbeing. Thank you to all our partners for helping to deliver yet another indoor tennis centre for our communities across Scotland.”
Euan Jardine, Scottish Borders Council Leader:
“This is a fantastic investment for the Scottish Borders that will leave a lasting legacy for both our young people and the wider community.
“By adding the region's first covered tennis courts alongside new padel facilities at Galashiels Academy, we're creating opportunities for people of all ages and abilities to be active, develop new skills and enjoy sport all year round. We're delighted to be working with our partners to bring this exciting project to life."
Find out more
More information on the Transforming Scotland’s Indoor Tennis Fund (TSIT) is available on the sportscotland website
