Agenda item

            The Building Control Manager informed the Committee that an application had been received from the Wilgar Community Forum requesting that the standard hours on the Seven-Day Annual Marquee Entertainments Licence for the Blanchflower Playing Fields be extended to facilitate the annual Wilgar Rock and Blues Festival and Community Fun Day.

            He reported that the licence was held by the Council’s City and Neighbourhoods Services Department and was transferred to organisers for the duration of their event. Under the terms of the licence, 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 festival had,for the past five years, been held within the grounds of Dundela Football, Athletic and Social Club. However, this year, the Forum had applied for the use of the Blanchflower Playing Fields, as it considered it to be a more central location and capable of accommodating a higher number of patrons, and had, on 9th May, obtained approval from the People and Communities Committee. This year’s event would include a mixture of rock and blues music, artistic performances and children’s fun day activities and the organiser had indicated that the extension of the Entertainments Licence till 1.00 a.m. on Friday, 4th and Saturday 5th August and until midnight on Sunday, 6th August would offer an enhanced experience for patrons, many of whom would not have an opportunity to attend similar events or festivals.

            The Building Control Manager pointed out that this was the first time in which a musical event would be held within the playing fields and reminded the Committee that it had, at recent meetings, approved similar requests for events taking place in other Council parks and open spaces. 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. He confirmed that neither the Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service nor the Police Service of Northern Ireland had objected to the application and that they would each be consulted on public safety, traffic management, transport and wider operational issues in the lead up to the festival. The Forum was working with the Building Control Service to agree the appropriate documentation, including a site layout plan and a residents’ notification letter, and with the Council’s Environmental Protection Unit to formulate an effective noise management plan, with a view to keeping noise disturbance to a minimum. He concluded by pointing out that inspections by officers of previous events which had been organised by the Wilgar Community Forum had revealed no issues.  

            The Committee agreed that the standard hours on the Seven-Day Annual Marquee Licence for the Blanchflower Playing Fields be extended to enable entertainment to take place until 1.00 a.m. on Friday, 4th and Saturday 5th August and until midnight on Sunday, 6th August, as part of the annual Wilgar Rock and Blues Festival and Community Fun Day, subject to all technical requirements being met to the satisfaction of Council officers.