Question 17360 — nuisance

Summary

Mr. Peio Dufau draws the attention of the Minister of Sports, Youth and Community Life to the regulatory framework for the establishment of padel courts near residential areas and to the protection of local residents against the nuisances that result from this. Mr. MP is alerted by residents of his constituency who denounce the nuisance caused by the recent installation of padel courts a few meters from their homes. These residents experience particularly significant noise pollution on a daily basis, resulting from repeated hits against the walls, bounces on the playing surfaces, and exchanges between players. These impulsive impact noises are particularly difficult to bear and cause chronic stress and a deterioration in their quality of life. To these noise pollution In addition, there are significant visual nuisances linked to the powerful lighting devices necessary for practice in the evening, as well as a loss of sunlight resulting from the construction of a courtyard in the immediate vicinity of the houses. The MP notes that in practice, no prior study is required before the installation of these installations, leaving local residents solely responsible for demonstrating the existence of an abnormal water disturbance. neighborhood. Thus the technical recommendations formulated by the experts and the French tennis federation concerning the orientation of the courts, the spacing distances, the choice of materials, the absorbent devices or the operating times are today not obligatory. However, the choice of construction materials, including glass walls, fences, floor coverings and metal structures, directly influences the propagation of impact noise. Recent case law confirms the reality of these difficulties. By a judgment rendered on January 8, 2026 (no. 2026/3, RG no. 25/00972), the Aix-en-Provence Court of Appeal ordered the total cessation of the activity of a padel complex due to the serious and repeated noise pollution suffered by local residents. This decision highlights the inadequacies of the current framework: Conflicts linked to the establishment of padel courts are most often settled a posteriori, following long and costly procedures for local residents and operators alike. In the absence of precise national regulations, mayors often find themselves helpless when examining urban planning authorizations, while residents have no other recourse than to go to court to have an abnormal disturbance recognized. neighborhood. It now appears essential to move from a logic of repair to a logic of prevention. This requires providing local authorities and project leaders with a clear regulatory framework, including in particular mandatory acoustic impact studies, requirements relating to the materials used in order to limit impact noise, requirements in terms of lighting and protection against light pollution, as well as rules adapted to the location of equipment. The development of padel cannot be to the detriment of the health, quality of life and the right to rest of local residents. Consequently, he asks if the Government intends to make an acoustic impact study compulsory prior to any creation or extension of padel courts located near residential areas, and if it plans to set requirements relating to minimum distances from homes, operating times, night lighting or the choice of materials to limit the propagation of impact noise.

Machine translation from French. The official text remains authoritative.

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