Noise nuisance in the vicinity of tennis and padel association Hoeven in Uden, causes complaints. Local residents are regularly annoyed by the popping sound of the balls that are beaten on the padel courts. A common complaint in the Netherlands. Ab van Daalen, who lives 150 meters from the sports club, says that his enjoyment of living is being affected and wants measures against the nuisance.
Just reading a book or newspaper in the garden, that’s a problem for Ab. Noise pollution from padel makes it difficult for him to concentrate. The peace is especially disturbed in the evening by the plop of balls. According to Ab, the sound is sometimes comparable to a pinball machine. He is very concerned now that a third padel court will be added at the nearby sports park. Ab has therefore asked the municipality of Maashorst to look for a solution.
Last summer Ab often went indoors to escape the noise pollution. When guests were visiting, a normal conversation in the garden was sometimes barely possible due to the constant popping.
Glass wall
Board member Gerard van de Ven of sports club de Hoeven understands the complaints: “Padel, a sport that is somewhere between tennis and squash, causes more noise than tennis,” he says. That’s because the game is played on a course with a glass wall as a fence. Especially when the balls hit that glass, the sound is loud.
Padel is extremely popular. Demand is so great that the jobs are almost constantly filled. That is why De Hoeven wants a third job. The club takes the complaints very seriously. “We don’t want any hassle with the neighborhood and are working on a solution,” says Van de Ven.
Sound measurements
What that possible solution will look like remains to be seen. According to Gerard van de Ven, the most noise from the padel courts is between nine and eleven o’clock in the evening when there is plenty of sport. Noise measurements have shown that the noise is about 2 decibels above the permitted standard.
One of the possible solutions to dampen the noise is to place yew plants at the Padelbanen. The sports park already has the necessary yew plants and there is also a green strip with trees and shrubs between the residential area and the sports park.
Another solution could be to place a kind of pyramid with peat near the courts. That could dampen the sound considerably. The sports association is waiting for an external investigation report to see what the best solution is. Until then, the neighborhood will still hear the pop of the balls. Fortunately, the season for sitting outside in the garden is almost over.