Authorities in Hanoi's Tu Liem ward have forcibly demolished a large pickleball complex at 181 Dinh Thon, state broadcaster VTV reported on 1 November. The site covers about 7,000 square metres and held two clusters of pickleball courts, a restaurant and a workshop repairing cars and machinery. Equipment was brought in to dismantle each structure in turn.

Why the courts came down

According to the ward People's Committee, the complex stood on land belonging to the Hanoi High-Tech College. Inspectors found violations of land and construction rules at the site.

Residents had also been complaining for months about the disruption the courts caused to daily life. Le Viet Bac Anh, vice chairman of the ward People's Committee, told VTV that the sports facility regularly affected people living nearby, and that the ward was determined to deal decisively with violations, particularly on public and agricultural land, with a plan to resolve them within 2026.

How the case unfolded

Based on VTV's reporting, KBVN+ outlines the sequence:

  • Several months ago: residents near the courts complained about disruption.
  • Inspection: authorities identified land and construction violations on the college's land.
  • Early November 2026: the ward demolished the two court clusters, the restaurant and the workshop.
  • Rest of 2026: the ward says it will draw up a plan to clear remaining violations.

Residents welcome the move

Neighbours backed the demolition, VTV said. Pham Viet Hung, a Hanoi resident, said locals welcomed it and hoped the ward would be thorough this time and restore peace to the neighbourhood. Families living next to the courts, including that of a resident identified as Thuy, now want the cleared land to be tightly managed so the problems do not return.

The case highlights a tension in Vietnam's pickleball boom: demand for courts has grown quickly in big cities, but venues opened on land not zoned for them risk enforcement. Players and investors may want to check a site's legal status before renting or building.

What next

Tu Liem ward says it will prioritise violations on public and agricultural land that affect residents, and aims to settle them during 2026. VTV did not report how the 181 Dinh Thon site will be used after clearance.