Padel Courts Reported as Noisy: Indonesia's Regulations on Noise Pollution
Complaints from residents in Haji Nawi, Cilandak, South Jakarta, about noise from a padel court have drawn widespread attention. The permissible noise levels for such activities are governed by several existing regulations.
The complaints were posted by a local resident on the social media platform Threads. In the post, the resident stated that noise from the padel court was disrupting daily activities for both themselves and neighbouring residents. The matter had also been reported through the JAKI application and the official channels of the DKI Jakarta Provincial Government.
Regarding noise issues, regulations are already in place. One such regulation is the Decree of the State Minister for the Environment No. 48 of 1996. Article 1 stipulates that noise must have a maximum threshold to prevent disturbance.
“The noise level standard is the maximum permissible noise level that may be emitted into the environment from a business or activity, such that it does not cause harm to human health or environmental comfort,” reads Article 1.
The regulation also includes noise level standards measured in decibels (dB). For residential areas, the maximum noise limit is 55 dBA. For reference, 55 dBA is equivalent to a quiet office environment, filled only with normal conversation or the sound of a washing machine during a regular cycle, not during the spin-dry phase.
Noise levels at padel courts exceed this threshold considerably. Data from the French Tennis Federation (FFT) and independent acoustic research in Europe, such as the Leroy and Kaiser study from SGS Belgium, confirm average levels of 89–91 dB(A) with peaks reaching up to 102 dB(A).
In research by Martin Higgins AM entitled ‘Padel, Planning and Noise: A Guide for Applicants and Authorities’, padel courts are found to be 6–12 dB louder than tennis courts. In acoustic terms, a 10 dB increase means the human ear perceives the sound as twice as loud.
The research further notes that during a five-minute period of club-level play, padel generates an average of 88 distinct impact sounds.
Returning to the regulatory framework, noise is also addressed in DKI Jakarta Regional Regulation No. 8 of 2007 on Public Order. Article 1 of this regulation stipulates that business premises are prohibited from causing disturbances, including noise pollution.
Jakarta Governor Pramono Anung has already spoken publicly about the complaints. He stated that he would summon the operators and relevant stakeholders to discuss the matter.
Pramono said the meeting would be convened shortly to ensure that all permits and padel business operations comply with applicable regulations.
“Next week I will invite all stakeholders specifically related to padel permits. I have asked them to present their case,” Pramono told reporters at Jakarta City Hall.
He emphasised that should any violations or operations inconsistent with permits be found to be causing public concern, the DKI Jakarta Provincial Government would not hesitate to take firm action.