Agenda item

            The Building Control Manager submitted for the Committee’s consideration the following report:

 

“1.0     Purpose of Report/Summary of Main Issues

 

1.1       To consider an application for the provisional grant of a Seven-Day Annual Indoor Entertainments Licence with extended hours for QUB, One Elmwood Student Centre.

 

Area and Location	Ref. No.	Applicant
QUB 1 Elmwood Student Centre 77 University Road Belfast BT7 1NF	WK/2022/00490	Mr Brian Horgan Queens University Belfast, University Road, Belfast, BT7 1NN

 

1.2       A location map has been circulated.

 

2.0       Recommendations

 

2.1       Taking into account the information presented and any representations received Members are required to consider the application and to:

 

a)     approve the application for the provision of entertainment to 2.00 am from Thursday to Saturday, or

b)     approve the application with special conditions, or

c)     refuse the application for the provision of entertainment to 2.00 am from Thursday to Saturday.

 

2.2       If an application is refused, or special conditions are attached to the licence to which the applicant does not consent, then the applicant may appeal the Council’s decision within 21 days of notification of that decision to the County Court. In the case that the applicant subsequently decides to appeal, entertainment may not be provided until any such appeal is determined.

 

3.0       Main Report

 

            Key Issues

 

            Provisional Grant of a Licence

 

3.1       There is provision within the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) (NI) Order 1985 (the Order), to make application for the grant of an entertainments licence in respect of premises which are to be, or are in the course of being, constructed, extended or altered. 

 

3.2       If the Council is satisfied that the premises would, if completed in accordance with plans deposited, be such that it would grant the licence, the Council may grant the licence subject to a condition that it shall be of no effect until confirmed by the Council.

 

3.3       This is described as the provisional grant of a licence.

 

3.4       The circumstances in relation to the new Student Centre are that the building has now actually been completed and is ready to open. The Building Control Service has completed it for the purposes of the Building Regulations and all fire safety, structural and access requirements have been satisfied.

 

3.5       In relation to the Entertainments Licence, all statutory consultations have been completed satisfactorily and the certificates pre-requisite to the grant of licence have been received.

 

3.6       Under the Scheme of Delegation, the Director of Place and Economy has authority to issue any application for the grant of a licence where there are no representations in respect of it and the hours of operation applied for do not exceed 1.00am.

 

3.7       However, applications to provide indoor entertainment beyond 1.00 am are subject to consideration by the Committee and the Student Centre has applied for the following days and hours of use:

 

·        Sunday to Wednesday:  12.00 am to 1.00 am the following morning

·        Thursday to Saturday:    12:00 am to 2:00 am the following morning

 

3.8       To assist the University in the circumstances where the building is ready to open for the start of the new term in advance of consideration of this application for an extension in hours to 2.00 am the Entertainment Licence has been issued permitting the premises to operate to 1.00 am.

 

3.9       The Committee is, therefore, only being asked to consider whether the provision of entertainment to 2.00 am may be permitted.

 

            Details of the Premises and Proposals

 

3.10     The premises is a new building, which replaces the former Queen’s University Students’ Union on the same site.

 

3.11     The areas proposed to be licensed to provide indoor entertainment and their maximum occupancies are:

 

·        Mandela Hall (Ground floor) – 1,300

·        2nd Floor Bar (Second floor) - 780

 

3.12     The days and hours during which entertainment is proposed to be provided, are:

 

·        Sunday to Wednesday:  12.00 am to 1.00 am the following morning

·        Thursday to Saturday:    12:00 am to 2:00 am the following morning

 

3.13     The applicant has stated that the extension of hours to 2.00 am from Thursday to Saturday is to enable them to offer their student population a comprehensive package of entertainment and to be competitive in the local area.

 

3.14     Members are reminded that the previous Students Union building which existed on this site operated with a Seven-Day Annual Entertainments Licence permitting entertainment to 3.00 am from Monday to Sunday.

 

            Representations

 

3.15     Public notice of the application has been placed and no written representation has been received as a result of this advertisement.

 

            PSNI

 

3.16     The Police Service of Northern Ireland has been consulted and has confirmed they have no objection to the application. Its response has been circulated.

 

            NIFRS

 

3.17     The Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service has been consulted and has confirmed that it has no objection to the application.

 

            Health, Safety and Welfare

 

3.18     The premises has been inspected by the Building Control Service and it is now complete for the purposes of the Building Regulations.

 

            Noise

 

3.19     The applicant has submitted an Event Management Plan (EMP) which has been evaluated by the Environmental Protection Unit (EPU).

 

3.20     EPU has recommended that events within the One Elmwood Student Centre shall be operated in accordance with the Event Noise management Plan approved under condition 19 of the planning approval and suggest the following special condition be added to the Entertainments Licence:

 

1.     When Mandela Hall is in use, all exiting from the Annex Bar, Union Bar and Mandela Hall after 11.00 pm shall be directed to University Road.

 

3.21     Members are reminded that the Clean Neighbourhood and Environment Act (Northern Ireland) 2011 gives the Council additional powers in relation to the control of entertainment noise after 11.00 pm.

 

            Applicant

 

3.22     The applicant, and/or their representatives, will be available at your meeting to answer any queries you may have in relation to the application.

 

            Financial and Resource Implications

 

3.23     None.

 

            Equality or Good Relations Implications/Rural Needs Assessment

 

3.24     There are no issues associated with this report.”

 

The Committee agreed to approve the application for the provisional grant of a Seven-Day Annual Indoor Entertainments Licence for QUB, One Elmwood Student Centre, with entertainment being permitted till 2.00 a.m. from Thursday to Saturday.