Padel Tennis Noise: When the Game Becomes a Racket

The growing number of planning applications relating to padel tennis reflects how quickly the sport is expanding across the UK. However, the absence of formal guidance or a consistent methodology for assessing padel noise has led to differing outcomes between planning authorities. In some cases, proposals have been judged unacceptable on noise grounds without a detailed assessment or consideration of mitigation. Media coverage of padel-related noise issues has also contributed to a heightened level of sensitivity around such applications.

As acoustic consultants, our role is to provide an objective, evidence-led approach to help bring greater consistency to decision making.

Breaking Down the Sources of Padel Noise

Padel is played on a smaller, semi-enclosed court, typically around 10 m by 20 m, with glass walls at each end and mesh fencing along the sides. This differs from traditional tennis courts, which are larger and generally unenclosed. The enclosed court layout and rules of play keep the ball in play for longer, resulting in more frequent impacts with the surrounding surfaces.

The main sources of padel noise include ball impacts on the racket, voices from players and spectators, impacts of the ball on walls, fencing, nets and the playing surface, as well as general noise associated with player movement and use of the courts.

In acoustic terms, padel can generate higher noise levels than tennis, with noise often greatest to the open sides of the court. While the solid end walls contribute to impact noise, they can also provide a degree of screening, limiting sound propagation in certain directions. Distance and court orientation relative to nearby receptors are therefore key considerations at an early design stage.

Padel Tennis Noise Assessment and Criteria

Current UK guidance and standards do not set out specific criteria for assessing daytime impact noise from padel courts, and average noise levels alone may not fully reflect its impulsive and repetitive character.

In practice, assessments often draw on approaches used for other developments characterised by distinct noise events, such as shooting ranges or dog boarding facilities. This typically involves considering the frequency of noise events, the number of courts in use, and the resulting average noise level over an appropriate assessment period.

Potential impacts are commonly judged by comparing predicted noise levels with representative baseline conditions, in a manner broadly comparable to established planning approaches. Guidance published by IEMA recognises that not all noise sources fit neatly within standardised assessment frameworks and places emphasis on relative change, context and professional judgement.

Absolute noise levels may also be reviewed against health-based reference values published by the World Health Organization, which provide useful context for outdoor amenity areas and indoor residential spaces. In practice, these benchmarks are used to inform decision making rather than act as fixed planning limits, with site-specific factors remaining critical.

Once site location and court orientation are fixed, mitigation typically focuses on reducing noise breakout and managing how the courts are used. This can include physical measures such as enhanced glazing, side screening and acoustic barriers, as well as operational controls like limits on court numbers, hours of use and managed play. In practice, the most effective solutions usually combine physical mitigation with proportionate management measures, rather than relying on any single approach in isolation.

JG Acoustics provides independent acoustic advice to support planning decisions. For proposed padel developments, we can assist in agreeing an appropriate noise assessment method and criteria with your project’s local authority. For further padel enquiries, please contact us at info@jgacoustics.co.uk