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Over 700 pickleball noise complaints in HDB estates since 2024
sg.news.yahoo.com
SINGAPORE – Not everyone loves pickleball.
From January 2024 to August 2025, the Municipal Services Office received 701 noise complaints about pickleball, said Minister for National Development Chee Hong Tat.
Raising the issue in Parliament on Sept 25, Workers’ Party MP Jamus Lim (Sengkang GRC) asked if there were plans to issue guidelines or regulations for pickleball play in HDB public courts, given potential noise issues.
Mr Chee said in a written reply that the town councils have been addressing residents’ concerns, such as putting up advisories, working with grassroots leaders to mediate between residents and pickleball players, and restricting the use of game courts to certain hours.
Under existing guidelines on community noise, residents are advised to be considerate and observe quiet hours between 10.30pm and 7am.
This applies to common spaces, which include game courts in HDB estates, Mr Chee said.
He added that the town councils can apply to the Housing Board for consent to convert sports facilities into multipurpose facilities with safety enhancements and sound dampeners.
“In approving such applications, HDB will consider whether the proposal meets prevailing technical and safety requirements, and whether it will cause disamenities, among other factors,” he said.
Pickleball is a cross between tennis and table tennis, and is played on a badminton-size court. It was invented in the US in the 1960s and was long popular among seniors due to its low-impact nature.
While it was previously described as a sport for seniors, it has in recent years been embraced by the young and is now frequently played in HDB estates.
This has led to tension between players and residents, who are irked by the sharp sounds produced when the plastic balls strike the hard paddles and ricochet off the floor.
Some frustrated residents have yelled at players to stop, with the authorities having to mediate to defuse tensions.
Several have written to The Straits Times’ Forum page urging action from the Government.
In Marine Parade-Braddell Heights GRC, the town council switches off lights earlier at selected courts to discourage late-night play.
It has received at least 90 complaints about pickleball so far in 2025, compared with 30 in 2024.
Noise disputes in HDB estates have recently made headlines, with a woman killed in Yishun on Sept 24, apparently over a noise dispute between neighbours.
Another murder in January 2024 was also allegedly over noise, when a woman was killed in Bukit Batok.
Noise disputes have been a growing problem in Singapore.
Government agencies receive an average of around 2,500 complaints a month about disputes between neighbours, with most being noise-related.
To tackle this, new laws were introduced in 2024.
The Community Disputes Resolution Act was amended to establish a new Community Relations Unit (CRU).
The unit’s officers are given investigatory and enforcement powers to intervene in disputes between neighbours, and the Community Disputes Resolution Tribunals have enhanced powers to resolve cases more quickly and effectively.
Besides giving warnings or abatement orders, CRU officers can issue a direction requiring neighbours to go for mediation or install noise sensors in homes to collect data on the direction, timing and intensity of noise after obtaining consent from residents in the affected units.
The CRU will step in only after neighbours have failed to resolve disputes among themselves. It is currently being piloted in Tampines.
Source: The Straits Times © SPH Media Limited. Permission required for reproduction
Discover how to enjoy other premium articles here
https://www.straitstimes.com/
Fri, 26 September 2025 at 5:17 pm SGT
Community noise guidelines advise residents to observe quiet hours between 10.30pm and 7am.
SINGAPORE – Not everyone loves pickleball.
From January 2024 to August 2025, the Municipal Services Office received 701 noise complaints about pickleball, said Minister for National Development Chee Hong Tat.
Raising the issue in Parliament on Sept 25, Workers’ Party MP Jamus Lim (Sengkang GRC) asked if there were plans to issue guidelines or regulations for pickleball play in HDB public courts, given potential noise issues.
Mr Chee said in a written reply that the town councils have been addressing residents’ concerns, such as putting up advisories, working with grassroots leaders to mediate between residents and pickleball players, and restricting the use of game courts to certain hours.
Under existing guidelines on community noise, residents are advised to be considerate and observe quiet hours between 10.30pm and 7am.
This applies to common spaces, which include game courts in HDB estates, Mr Chee said.
He added that the town councils can apply to the Housing Board for consent to convert sports facilities into multipurpose facilities with safety enhancements and sound dampeners.
“In approving such applications, HDB will consider whether the proposal meets prevailing technical and safety requirements, and whether it will cause disamenities, among other factors,” he said.
Pickleball is a cross between tennis and table tennis, and is played on a badminton-size court. It was invented in the US in the 1960s and was long popular among seniors due to its low-impact nature.
While it was previously described as a sport for seniors, it has in recent years been embraced by the young and is now frequently played in HDB estates.
This has led to tension between players and residents, who are irked by the sharp sounds produced when the plastic balls strike the hard paddles and ricochet off the floor.
Some frustrated residents have yelled at players to stop, with the authorities having to mediate to defuse tensions.
Several have written to The Straits Times’ Forum page urging action from the Government.
In Marine Parade-Braddell Heights GRC, the town council switches off lights earlier at selected courts to discourage late-night play.
It has received at least 90 complaints about pickleball so far in 2025, compared with 30 in 2024.
Noise disputes in HDB estates have recently made headlines, with a woman killed in Yishun on Sept 24, apparently over a noise dispute between neighbours.
Another murder in January 2024 was also allegedly over noise, when a woman was killed in Bukit Batok.
Noise disputes have been a growing problem in Singapore.
Government agencies receive an average of around 2,500 complaints a month about disputes between neighbours, with most being noise-related.
To tackle this, new laws were introduced in 2024.
The Community Disputes Resolution Act was amended to establish a new Community Relations Unit (CRU).
The unit’s officers are given investigatory and enforcement powers to intervene in disputes between neighbours, and the Community Disputes Resolution Tribunals have enhanced powers to resolve cases more quickly and effectively.
Besides giving warnings or abatement orders, CRU officers can issue a direction requiring neighbours to go for mediation or install noise sensors in homes to collect data on the direction, timing and intensity of noise after obtaining consent from residents in the affected units.
The CRU will step in only after neighbours have failed to resolve disputes among themselves. It is currently being piloted in Tampines.
Source: The Straits Times © SPH Media Limited. Permission required for reproduction
Discover how to enjoy other premium articles here
sg.news.yahoo.com
From January 2024 to August 2025, the Municipal Services Office received 701 noise complaints about pickleball, said Minister for National Development Chee Hong Tat.
Raising the issue in Parliament on Sept 25, Workers’ Party MP Jamus Lim (Sengkang GRC) asked if there were plans to issue guidelines or regulations for pickleball play in HDB public courts, given potential noise issues.
Mr Chee said in a written reply that the town councils have been addressing residents’ concerns, such as putting up advisories, working with grassroots leaders to mediate between residents and pickleball players, and restricting the use of game courts to certain hours.
Under existing guidelines on community noise, residents are advised to be considerate and observe quiet hours between 10.30pm and 7am.
This applies to common spaces, which include game courts in HDB estates, Mr Chee said.
He added that the town councils can apply to the Housing Board for consent to convert sports facilities into multipurpose facilities with safety enhancements and sound dampeners.
“In approving such applications, HDB will consider whether the proposal meets prevailing technical and safety requirements, and whether it will cause disamenities, among other factors,” he said.
Pickleball is a cross between tennis and table tennis, and is played on a badminton-size court. It was invented in the US in the 1960s and was long popular among seniors due to its low-impact nature.
While it was previously described as a sport for seniors, it has in recent years been embraced by the young and is now frequently played in HDB estates.
This has led to tension between players and residents, who are irked by the sharp sounds produced when the plastic balls strike the hard paddles and ricochet off the floor.
Some frustrated residents have yelled at players to stop, with the authorities having to mediate to defuse tensions.
Several have written to The Straits Times’ Forum page urging action from the Government.
In Marine Parade-Braddell Heights GRC, the town council switches off lights earlier at selected courts to discourage late-night play.
It has received at least 90 complaints about pickleball so far in 2025, compared with 30 in 2024.
Noise disputes in HDB estates have recently made headlines, with a woman killed in Yishun on Sept 24, apparently over a noise dispute between neighbours.
Another murder in January 2024 was also allegedly over noise, when a woman was killed in Bukit Batok.
Noise disputes have been a growing problem in Singapore.
Government agencies receive an average of around 2,500 complaints a month about disputes between neighbours, with most being noise-related.
To tackle this, new laws were introduced in 2024.
The Community Disputes Resolution Act was amended to establish a new Community Relations Unit (CRU).
The unit’s officers are given investigatory and enforcement powers to intervene in disputes between neighbours, and the Community Disputes Resolution Tribunals have enhanced powers to resolve cases more quickly and effectively.
Besides giving warnings or abatement orders, CRU officers can issue a direction requiring neighbours to go for mediation or install noise sensors in homes to collect data on the direction, timing and intensity of noise after obtaining consent from residents in the affected units.
The CRU will step in only after neighbours have failed to resolve disputes among themselves. It is currently being piloted in Tampines.
Source: The Straits Times © SPH Media Limited. Permission required for reproduction
Discover how to enjoy other premium articles here
https://www.straitstimes.com/
Fri, 26 September 2025 at 5:17 pm SGT
Community noise guidelines advise residents to observe quiet hours between 10.30pm and 7am.
SINGAPORE – Not everyone loves pickleball.
From January 2024 to August 2025, the Municipal Services Office received 701 noise complaints about pickleball, said Minister for National Development Chee Hong Tat.
Raising the issue in Parliament on Sept 25, Workers’ Party MP Jamus Lim (Sengkang GRC) asked if there were plans to issue guidelines or regulations for pickleball play in HDB public courts, given potential noise issues.
Mr Chee said in a written reply that the town councils have been addressing residents’ concerns, such as putting up advisories, working with grassroots leaders to mediate between residents and pickleball players, and restricting the use of game courts to certain hours.
Under existing guidelines on community noise, residents are advised to be considerate and observe quiet hours between 10.30pm and 7am.
This applies to common spaces, which include game courts in HDB estates, Mr Chee said.
He added that the town councils can apply to the Housing Board for consent to convert sports facilities into multipurpose facilities with safety enhancements and sound dampeners.
“In approving such applications, HDB will consider whether the proposal meets prevailing technical and safety requirements, and whether it will cause disamenities, among other factors,” he said.
Pickleball is a cross between tennis and table tennis, and is played on a badminton-size court. It was invented in the US in the 1960s and was long popular among seniors due to its low-impact nature.
While it was previously described as a sport for seniors, it has in recent years been embraced by the young and is now frequently played in HDB estates.
This has led to tension between players and residents, who are irked by the sharp sounds produced when the plastic balls strike the hard paddles and ricochet off the floor.
Some frustrated residents have yelled at players to stop, with the authorities having to mediate to defuse tensions.
Several have written to The Straits Times’ Forum page urging action from the Government.
In Marine Parade-Braddell Heights GRC, the town council switches off lights earlier at selected courts to discourage late-night play.
It has received at least 90 complaints about pickleball so far in 2025, compared with 30 in 2024.
Noise disputes in HDB estates have recently made headlines, with a woman killed in Yishun on Sept 24, apparently over a noise dispute between neighbours.
Another murder in January 2024 was also allegedly over noise, when a woman was killed in Bukit Batok.
Noise disputes have been a growing problem in Singapore.
Government agencies receive an average of around 2,500 complaints a month about disputes between neighbours, with most being noise-related.
To tackle this, new laws were introduced in 2024.
The Community Disputes Resolution Act was amended to establish a new Community Relations Unit (CRU).
The unit’s officers are given investigatory and enforcement powers to intervene in disputes between neighbours, and the Community Disputes Resolution Tribunals have enhanced powers to resolve cases more quickly and effectively.
Besides giving warnings or abatement orders, CRU officers can issue a direction requiring neighbours to go for mediation or install noise sensors in homes to collect data on the direction, timing and intensity of noise after obtaining consent from residents in the affected units.
The CRU will step in only after neighbours have failed to resolve disputes among themselves. It is currently being piloted in Tampines.
Source: The Straits Times © SPH Media Limited. Permission required for reproduction
Discover how to enjoy other premium articles here
