[Image: Wikimedia Commons]
Citing concerns over noise, safety, and “incompatibility with the area’s rural character”, plans to build three outdoor padel courts at the Noordhoek Garden Emporium have been shelved.
The developer announced on Monday, April 14, that he would no longer pursue the project after Noordhoek residents pulled together a petition against the padel plans.
“Whilst I strongly believe that padel courts meet the criteria of providing services that Noordhoek residents want and need, it has become a controversial matter that has divided the community,” he wrote. “This goes against my intentions.”
An online petition against the original plan gained over 420 signatures. Opponents argued that the open-air courts – operating from 6 AM to 10 PM and located just metres from homes – would bring “disruptive noise and light pollution and worsen traffic in an already congested area”.
“This is a peaceful rural part of Noordhoek, home to families, horses, and a strong community culture,” notes the petition. “The impacts on our quality of life would have been enormous.”
The Noordhoek Ratepayers’ Association (NRPA) had also raised concerns, saying they were cool with the majority of upgrades to the Garden Emporium and even the idea of padel courts – “provided they did not result in noise or light pollution or create traffic problems for neighbouring properties”.
Mr. Zuidberg stated that while the NRPA welcomed broader upgrades to the Garden Emporium — including plans to restore the restaurant — the group could not support the courts in their original location. They proposed relocating the courts to a less obtrusive part of the property or moving them entirely to the nearby Noordhoek sports fields.
According to the False Bay Echo, the City of Cape Town had previously admitted to mistakenly approving the building plans before completing the necessary land use application process. As a result, construction was halted, and the project was sent back for public participation.
Now, with the developer shifting his focus toward a community-centered indoor facility, the conversation seems to be taking a new positive direction.
The NRPA and other local groups have indicated they remain open to development that aligns with the Noordhoek Local Area Spatial Development Framework (LASDF), which promotes “low-impact, rural-style planning that blends with the existing community”.
The author of the online petition, Kelly Burke, welcomed the withdrawal of the original plan and expressed cautious optimism about what may come next.
“I think it’s a win,” she said. “I think it’s great that he’s listened to the community. That means a lot, especially with all the development pressures happening in Noordhoek. I don’t want to call it a victory for the small people — that sounds wrong — but it’s nice to know our voices were heard and respected. That’s awesome.”
Ja, people, enough with this Padel obsession.
[Source: False Bay Echo]
