The former headquarters and printing works of the Express and Star newspaper in Wolverhampton will be converted into padel courts.

City of Wolverhampton Council has approved plans to turn the building on Tower Street into Wolves Padel Centre.

The ground floor and former printing room of the city’s historic Express and Star offices, which staff left in 2023 after more than 140 years, would be converted into three doubles courts and two singles courts.

According to the application submitted to the council, the newspaper’s former mailroom would be converted into another doubles court for the racquet sport that combines elements of tennis and squash.

The proposed opening hours for the facility are 06:00 BST to midnight daily.

Council planners said in a report: “The proposal represents an appropriate and sustainable re-use of a large redundant building within Wolverhampton city centre.