WORK has finally begun on a state-of-the-art indoor tennis centre in Edinburgh after a two-year delay due to the pandemic.

Construction has started on six fresh courts at Oriam, Scotland’s Sports Performance Centre at Heriot-Watt University’s campus, as part of sportscotland’s Transforming Scotland’s Indoor Tennis (TSIT) project.

It will be one of the largest indoor tennis centres built in the UK in recent years and is scheduled to open its doors next summer.

The £4.5m project represents more progress on improving Scotland’s indoor tennis infrastructure, with work also underway on a £1.6m TSIT development operated by Moray Sports Centre in Elgin.  

It comes ahead of the Davis Cup and Billie Jean King Cup finals both being held in Scotland later this year.

Ross Campbell, executive director at Oriam, says the aim of the new courts is to encourage more people to pick up a racket, particularly from the local community as well as staff and students at Heriot-Watt University.

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He said: “We are delighted to be breaking ground on this high-profile project,” he said. 

“I would like to extend my thanks to our partners the LTA [Lawn Tennis Association], sportscotland and Tennis Scotland for their continued support and investment. This tennis facility is another sign, alongside our high-profile partners and the development of our new academic programmes, that Heriot-Watt is an ambitious sporting university. 

“Once opened, Oriam will be a destination for tennis for our students and local community but also nationally and we look forward to delivering this successful project in late summer 2023.” 

The inclusive and accessible facility will adjoin Oriam’s existing complex which already boasts full-size indoor and outdoor synthetic pitches, seven grass pitches, 12-court and four-court multi-sport halls, public and performance gyms, a hydropool and a physiotherapy clinic plus many more.

Once completed, the new courts will increase Oriam’s footprint by 4000 sq/m. 

A number of new tennis coaching and support jobs will be created by the time the project is completed, bringing an employment boost to the area.

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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 £15m, 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. 

Scott Lloyd, chief executive of the LTA, said: “We are very pleased that work has begun on the site at Oriam.

“This continues the momentum from the project recently started at Moray Sports Centre as we pursue our vision to open up tennis to many more people.”

Blane Dodds, Tennis Scotland chief executive, added: “This is another significant milestone in our efforts to enhance the indoor tennis provision across Scotland.

“The new courts will ensure the East of Scotland has access to year-round tennis facilities which will ultimately increase opportunities for participation, competition as well as player and coach development. 

“This is an important year for Scottish tennis as we prepare to host the Davis Cup and Billie Jean King Cup both of which will undoubtedly inspire many more people to take up the sport and facilities like this will ensure they have world-class facilities to play in.”