Jiangsu Lingtong Exhibition Tent Co., Ltd.

Project Background

Pickleball is one of the fastest-growing sports globally. In 2025, the global market size reached approximately $1.69 billion, with over 48 million active players. The UK market has seen particularly rapid growth, with Pickleball England membership surpassing 18,000 registered players, alongside an estimated 40,000 casual participants nationwide. While there are over 600 pickleball venues across the UK, the vast majority are temporary facilities — typically multi-purpose sports halls or badminton courts used once or twice a week. Dedicated pickleball facilities remain extremely scarce.

A community sports club in Manchester experienced a surge in member demand for pickleball facilities in recent years. However, the club's only two outdoor tennis courts were insufficient to meet this demand. With Manchester averaging over 150 rainy days per year, the courts were unusable for approximately four months annually. After evaluating their options, the club management decided to proceed with LINGTONG's prefabricated tent solution.

Project Challenges

Site Leveling Issues — The available land had an elevation difference of approximately 1.2 meters from east to west. A conventional approach would have required soil backfilling followed by foundation pouring. However, municipal stormwater pipes were buried beneath the site, preventing any large-scale excavation. The tent needed to address the uneven ground and ensure structural stability without disturbing the pipes or performing earthwork adjustments.

Narrow Access Constraints — The available space was situated in a narrow corridor between the club's main building and the community fence, with the narrowest point measuring only 3.5 meters wide. Large construction equipment, cranes, and concrete mixers could not access the area. All materials and equipment had to be moved manually or with small forklifts, requiring a lightweight structural solution.

Noise Restrictions Adjacent to Residential Area — The site was directly adjacent to a residential area to the north, with the nearest house less than 8 meters from the construction boundary. The local community was highly sensitive to construction noise, and the council restricted noise levels above 50 decibels outside the hours of 9 AM to 5 PM on weekdays. This effectively limited the daily construction window to less than 6 hours.

Preserving the Existing Drainage System — The club's main drainage pipes ran beneath the site, with only approximately 0.8 meters of soil cover. Any deep excavation risked damaging the pipes and disrupting the entire club's drainage system. The tent anchoring system had to avoid the pipe alignment and could not involve any ground-penetrating installation.

LINGTONG Pickleball Tent Solution

To address these challenges, the LINGTONG team implemented the following measures:

Site Leveling — A segmented foundation design was adopted, dividing the tent into three independently adjustable sections. Each column base was equipped with an adjustable steel base, allowing ±300mm of independent height adjustment via leveling bolts — achieving precise leveling without excavation or backfilling. Custom ballast blocks (25kg each, totalling approximately 3.6 tons) were installed at each column base to distribute loads evenly and avoid concentrated pressure on the pipe alignment.

Access-Limited Installation — All aluminum components were packed in standard container sizes, with the longest single piece not exceeding 6 meters and the heaviest not exceeding 80kg — allowing manual handling or transport via small forklifts. No large cranes were required on site. Frame assembly was completed using manual hoists and assembly jigs. The entire installation required only one 3-ton forklift, which could easily manoeuvre within the 3.5-meter-wide access corridor.

Noise Management — All cutting and welding operations were completed during the factory prefabrication stage. On-site work involved only bolt assembly — no welding, no cutting, and no heavy machinery noise. Site noise levels were maintained below 45 decibels, fully complying with council time restrictions.

Pipeline Protection and Zero-Damage Anchoring — A ballasted anchoring system was used instead of ground anchors. Each column base was fitted with four cast-iron ballast blocks with industrial rubber pads underneath to distribute the load evenly. The ballast blocks were positioned to avoid the pipe alignment, resting only on the surface without penetrating the ground, fully protecting the underground drainage system.

Project Results

The pickleball tent officially opened in autumn 2025 and has since become one of the club's most frequently used facilities:

• Eliminated weather-related and seasonal restrictions, enabling year-round operations.

• 6 standard courts simultaneously accommodate member training, junior development programs, and club tournaments.

• Professional lighting and ventilation systems have significantly improved the playing environment.

• Following the opening, the club gained approximately 70 new members, with weekend and evening court bookings consistently at full capacity.

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