Agenda item

            The Building Control Manager informed the Committee that an application had been received from the organisers of Féile an Phobail in relation to a number of proposed events which would be taking place within a marquee in the Falls Park during the month of August. He explained that the Council’s City and Neighbourhoods Services Department held both a Seven-day Annual Outdoor Entertainments Licence and a Fourteen-day Occasional Marquee Entertainments Licence for the venue, which it transferred to promoters for the duration of their event. Under the terms of those licences, entertainment was permitted to take place from Monday to Sunday between the hours of 11.30 a.m. and 11.00 p.m. and special conditions were attached to each licence in relation to occupancy levels, early consultation with residents and businesses, extended hours and addressing complaints. 

            He reported that the organisers of the festival had requested that the Committee give consideration to permitting entertainment to run until midnight from Thursday, 4th till Sunday, 14th August in order to allow them to deliver a programme of diversionary activities for young people, which would include sport and discussion sessions.  The programme of entertainment was in the process of being finalised but would be similar to that of previous years. 

            He reminded the Committee that, at its meeting on 20th May, 2015, it had granted approval for the organisers to operate till midnight on eight nights within the marquee and that it had, at recent meetings, approved requests for similar events taking place in Custom House Square and in Writers’ Square. He pointed out that, since this application related to the extension of the hours permitted under an existing licence condition, rather than the variation of the Entertainments Licence itself, there had been no requirement for it to be advertised. The Police Service of Northern Ireland had offered no objections to the application and would be involved in meetings to review in detail public safety, traffic management, transport and wider operational issues. The organisers had submitted to the Building Control Service a draft event management plan and a proposed site plan and would, as in previous years, be engaging with local residents in advance of the event to address any concerns. He added that officers had, in the past, undertaken inspections of the venue whilst entertainment had been taking place, none of which had identified issues with health, safety and welfare management. In terms of noise nuisance, he confirmed that two complaints had been received in 2015, neither of which had necessitated formal action being taken. Officers were working with the organisers and their representatives to ensure that an appropriate noise management plan was formulated for this year’s event, with a view to ensuring that noise from the marquee would not cause undue disturbance to local residents and businesses.   

            The Committee agreed, in its capacity as Licensing Authority, that the standard hours on the Fourteen-day Occasional Marquee Entertainments Licence for Falls Park be extended to enable entertainment to take place till midnight from Thursday, 4th till Sunday, 14th August, as part of Féile an Phobail, subject to all technical requirements being met to the satisfaction of Council officers.