As the popularity of padel — the fast-paced racquet sport — surges across Cape Town, a growing number of residents are voicing strong opposition to the construction of new courts in residential areas.
The backlash has sparked a broader debate about noise, light pollution, and the lack of clear regulation — as well as calls for meaningful public participation and spatial planning reform.
In Claremont, a proposed plan to build eight indoor padel courts and a warehouse at the Claremont Villages Rugby Football Club ignited community resistance.
Residents say the development was attempted without consultation and in an area wholly unsuited to commercial sport.
“They tried to build these courts at the end of last year — just 30 metres from my bedroom window,” said resident Zara Langford.
“We got a stop order in January. The land isn’t zoned for this type of high-impact, high-volume activity. You can’t just plonk a commercial sports facility with late-night operating hours into a residential zone and expect people to be okay with it.”
Langford said the proposal included trading hours from 6am to midnight, seven days a week, which would bring constant foot traffic and noise from players and spectators.
“The sound of the ball hitting the glass is loud and jarring. It’s like living next to a shooting range,” she said.
With four players per court, the facility could host up to 32 players at a time, plus spectators — a drastic shift in land use in a neighbourhood with existing residential character.
In Noordhoek, residents recently celebrated a victory after a similar proposal for courts at the Noordhoek Garden Emporium (NGE) was withdrawn following community pressure.
According to Bas Zuidberg, Chairperson of the Far South Peninsula Community Forum and Noordhoek Ratepayers Association, their objections were not aimed at the sport itself, but at its placement.
“We’re not against padel — we’re against the noise and light pollution that comes from open or inadequately soundproofed courts, especially when placed near homes,” said Zuidberg.
The owner of the NGE site ultimately reversed course, issuing a notice to residents that the courts would not go ahead. In the statement, which the Weekend Argus has seen, the developer wrote:
“Whilst I strongly believe that padel courts meet the needs of Noordhoek residents, it has become a controversial matter that has divided the community. This goes against my intentions, and for this and other reasons, I have decided to no longer pursue the construction of padel courts on this site.”
Instead, the developer said they would explore building a dedicated sports hub — with indoor courts, a pump track, a small astro field, and a clubhouse — further away from residential properties and aligned with existing sports infrastructure. Crucially, they committed to engaging the community on the alternative plan.
This shift has highlighted what many critics see as a gap in municipal regulation, particularly in Cape Town’s Development Management Scheme (DMS).
In response to growing public concern, deputy mayor and mayco member for spatial planning and environment, Eddie Andrews, provided clarity on how the City currently handles padel court proposals:
“Each proposal is considered on its own merits and in the context of where it is to be developed,” said Andrews.
“Padel courts are not specifically defined in the DMS, but are generally considered under ‘open space’ for outdoor facilities, and ‘place of assembly’ for indoor ones — similar to tennis or squash courts.”
According to Andrews, if the base zoning permits open space or a place of assembly as a primary land use, no additional land use approval is required.
If not, the developer must submit a formal land use application, such as for consent use, rezoning, or temporary departure, under the Municipal Planning By-Law of 2015.
Associated shops or cafés on site must be ancillary and not open to the general public.
In some cases, a site development plan or building plan approval under national regulations may be required.
“Numerous private owners are applying to construct single courts as part of private homes. These are generally permitted without land use applications if they comply with zoning setbacks,” Andrews added.
He acknowledged that, due to increasing objections and legal complications, some property developers have chosen to drop padel court components from broader development plans to avoid delays.
Action on the Padel court.
Regarding the Noordhoek case, Andrews said, “Currently, no land use application for the Noordhoek Emporium property has been submitted. We’ve been informed by objectors that the developer no longer intends to continue with the courts and is exploring alternative locations for the activity.”
Similar processes appear to be unfolding in Claremont, where the short-term intention of the operator is reportedly to comply with zoning regulations — though no application has yet been submitted.
For Langford, however, the issue goes beyond a single project.
“There’s no transparency. No one told us. No one asked us. If I had known the government would allow this next to homes, I wouldn’t have bought here,” she said.
“I just managed to buy my house at 50, imagine my property value plummeting because of this.”
Both she and Zuidberg are calling for the City to develop a clear policy on padel courts, including mandatory community consultation, and minimum soundproofing and setback standards.
“The sport is growing — it’s not going away,” said Zuidberg. “But it must be properly planned.
“In countries like the Netherlands and France, national governments work with developers and residents. We want to see the same here.”
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