The sound made by children playing in designated playing areas should not be labelled nuisance noise, Amsterdam sports council Sportraad has said in a new report.

The noise is “a natural, welcome and unavoidable part of daily life”, the Sportraad said, following complaints about children playing in a football cage in Amsterdam West.

The noise divided locals, with some in favour of the council’s plan to halve the space and others against. In the end, the court decided the cage could stay.

The Sportraad suggests including children’s play in the rules surrounding noise nuisance in the capital, explicitly describing it as ‘part of daily life” and “a sign the council promotes child-friendly public spaces”.

Outside play areas are becoming scarce in Amsterdam and are frequently sacrificed to build more houses, the Sportraad said.

In addition, more needs to be done to encourage outside play and keep existing play areas safe. The spaces provide an essential meeting place for people from all walks of life, the Sportraad said, and should be legally protected from developers.

According to a report by the national audit office, some 62% of Amsterdam neighbourhoods have less than one outside play area per 300 homes. At least one is the norm, including a play area for young children within a 150-metre radius in new build areas.

Amsterdam sports chief Sofyan Mbarki said the recommendations were “good and valid” but he would not commit to specifics.

Mbarki said the council has already invested in playground equipment and spent €4.6 million on the upkeep of 70 playgrounds last year. “We have also earmarked €2 million for extra play areas in neighborhoods lacking in outside space for children,” he told Het Parool.