Padel - What’s all the noise about?

Padel, an invigorating blend of tennis and squash, is capturing the attention of sport and fitness enthusiasts in the UK. Originating in Mexico, its smaller, partially enclosed glass courts allow for dynamic, engaging gameplay appealing to a wide range of players. This rapidly growing sport has sparked a surge in demand for dedicated playing facilities. However, as developers and sports facilities race to meet this demand, they face unique challenges in planning and design, particularly in residential areas.

Building a padel court is not just about finding space and laying down the surface. As the main UK planning advisor to Padel Galis (Europe’s premier padel court supplier), Planning Resolution has a front-row seat to the complexities involved in delivering planning permission for courts. Unlike more traditional, quieter outdoor sports, padel tennis courts can pose significant design, lighting and acoustic challenges.

The surge in padel’s popularity could create a positive step change for national health and sporting diversity, but it also calls for a strategic approach in location selection, management and design to ensure a harmonious integration into communities across the UK. Countries across Europe are already leading the charge here, with the Netherlands Padel and Sound Guide providing a steer on Dutch policy to help ensure the development of new facilities that seamlessly meet the needs of surrounding communities. But what steps will UK regulation and The Lawn Tennis Association, as the UK’s governing body, take to ensure the nation follows suit?

Working alongside Planning Resolution, Aidan Tolkien, Associate Director, and Oliver Packman, Senior Acoustic Consultant at KP Acoustics Group take a deep dive into the complexities of padel court noise and development. Highlighting the indispensable role of professional planning advice and acoustic consultancy in crafting padel courts that not only meet the sport’s requirements but also respect and enhance their surroundings – without community disruption and risks of noise abatement.

Key Challenges in Padel Court Noise and Development

Developing padel courts in the UK is not just about fostering a growing sport; it’s about balancing the needs and concerns of the community with the technical and regulatory demands of construction, through to day-to-day function. Understanding and addressing these challenges is crucial for the successful integration of padel facilities into any area. But, what are the key challenges to be faced? And, why has noise become such a major talking point for a seemingly typical strand of racket sport?

Acoustic Challenges

Understanding the Noise Factor: Padel courts are inherently noisier than traditional tennis courts due to their smaller size and the nature of the game, with a representative source power for one padel court of 91 dB, compared to 85 dB for its equivalent in tennis (Netherlands Padel and Sound Guide). This increased noise, particularly from court materials, player activities and ball impacts, can lead to significant noise pollution concerns among nearby residents.

With this also comes the consideration of psychoacoustic impacts, a rising phenomenon that recognises the breadth of reactions we can have to various sounds, particularly those of an intrusive nature. The impulsive sound of the ball hitting the racket and surrounding walls can have a more substantial negative impact on nearby residents. This type of sound is less easily masked by ambient noises, making it more intrusive and, potentially, much more disruptive.

Navigating Noise Breakout: Despite the semi-enclosed design of padel courts – surrounded by acrylic walls used to deflect and redirect the ball within play – challenges persist with noise breakout, especially if the courts have open sides or large sliding doors. Even with partial enclosures, mitigating noise breakout remains a complex issue to negate.

Regulatory Complexity

Understanding Planning Permissions: Padel court development will most certainly require planning permission, especially when changing the use of a site, altering operating hours, installing new courts, or making significant external modifications. This process can be intricate and requires a detailed understanding of local planning AND noise regulations to avoid rejected proposals or even noise abatement notices further down the line. Lack of consideration of such factors can lead to wasted time and investment, and can even shut down developments altogether.

Location Selection Challenges: Finding the right location is crucial. Courts need to be close enough to potential players and spectators yet far enough from residential areas to avoid creating a nuisance. In urban areas, where land is scarce and local residents may oppose change due to threats of intrusive noise, this becomes particularly challenging. The more successful schemes are proving to be those that either implement a separation distance from nearby housing or co-locate padel courts with other active uses, such as schools/colleges, football and rugby clubs.

Community Opposition

Addressing Local Concerns: Cases such as the proposed padel courts in Bournemouth Central Gardens highlight the challenges of community opposition. Despite well-intentioned plans, local residents and Resident Associations can have significant influence, citing concerns like “unacceptable noise impacts” that liken the sound of padel to “noise like gunfire”. Failure to address these community concerns and technical aspects from the outset can lead to strong local objections, resulting in costly planning refusals or appeals. This necessitates a proactive approach to engaging with the community and considering their feedback in the planning stages, as well as onboarding acoustic consultants to provide tangible solutions to mitigate the impact of harmful noise from the outset.

Solutions for Overcoming Challenges in Padel Court Development

Combining expert planning advice with acoustic consultancy can significantly mitigate the complex challenges faced in padel court noise and development, leading to successful project implementation. The key to overcoming these challenges is early engagement with planning and acoustic consultants from the outset. This not only improves the chance of regulatory approval but also saves time and money in the long run, working to protect developers from noise abatement and costly retrofits to achieve regulatory compliance.

Acoustic Solutions: Reducing Noise Impact

Implementing Acoustic Barriers: One effective method to minimise noise is using acoustic barriers. These can range from specialised court construction techniques to strategic landscaping, all aimed at reducing the impact on neighbouring users. Utilising sound-absorbing materials in court construction can significantly lower noise levels. This, combined with court orientation and design, can help contain the sound within the playing area.

Acoustic Consultancy Input: Professional acoustic consultants play a crucial role in conducting detailed noise surveys and impact assessments, tailoring noise mitigation strategies to each specific site. These strategies are designed to be both effective and aesthetically minded, all considerable contributing factors to ensuring your development successfully navigates the regulatory planning maze.

Navigating the Regulatory Maze with Planning Advice

Land Use Regulations: Professional planners are instrumental in understanding local community and political issues, and whether the proposed padel court development is capable of complying with local land use policies. Their expertise ensures that projects are aligned with local requirements, avoiding regulatory roadblocks, delay or refusal.

Proactive Community Dialogue: Early engagement with the community can help preempt objections to your development. Planners facilitate this dialogue, finding a balance between the developer’s interests and those of the community. Here, engaging local communities and stakeholders is crucial. Public consultations and meetings provide platforms for feedback and input, helping to address potential concerns proactively to avoid delay or refusals further down the line. This collaborative approach not only helps in resolving issues but also fosters a sense of community involvement in the project, contributing to its long-term success whilst also protecting developer investment.

Looking to the Future: Sustainable Growth in Padel Court Development

The journey of developing padel courts extends far beyond a passion for the sport, making the integration of planning and acoustic consultancy crucial. It involves a deep dive into a complex array of planning and acoustic challenges, leveraging the expertise of professional planners and acoustic consultants to navigate these intricacies. This holistic approach ensures that padel court developments are not only functional and compliant but also harmoniously integrated into their surroundings.

As padel’s popularity soars, the future of planning for padel tennis facilities brims with potential, with innovative breakthroughs in advanced acoustic technology and solutions specifically tailored to combat the adverse effects of padel court noise. These ongoing advancements are set to redefine the standards of padel tennis facilities, focusing on enhancing player experience while simultaneously being mindful of environmental and community impacts.

The future of padel court development is not just about expansion; it’s about evolving responsibly and sustainably. With thoughtful planning and the incorporation of acoustic practices, the growth of padel can be a blueprint for acoustically conscious and community-friendly sports facility development.

As experts in the field, KP Acoustic Group offers full-spectrum acoustics consultancy and environmental monitoring. To learn more, get in touch with our highly experienced consultants by calling 020 3820 5564 or visiting www.kpacoustics.com.

As a leading planning consultancy for padel court providers and development companies, Planning Resolution provides expert planning consultancy advice for the development of padel courts and beyond. To discover more, you can contact their expert team on 0203 151 1626 or visit www.planningresolution.co.uk.