Licence green light for outdoor festival

During a recent Health and Environmental Services Committee members agreed to give the application the green light as it ‘meets all the technical requirements’.

Seen as a major tourist attraction and economic boost for the borough, the event at Leslie Hill will take place on Friday, August 19 from 5pm to 11pm and Saturday, August 20 from 12pm to 12am.

According to the report, the a Safety Advisory Group has been convened and The Noise Council guidance used to assess noise levels ensuring that ‘there will not be music noise audible at the nearest residential dwellings from acoustic performances.’

The report explained: ‘An application and supporting event management plan has been received for an outdoor entertainments licence. The application meets all the technical requirements for the issue of such a licence. A Safety Advisory Group has been convened comprising of the emergency services, the applicant and officers from the Directorate.

‘With regard to the timings of the event it should be noted that the relevant technical guidance issued by The Noise Council (Code of Practice on Environmental Noise Control at Concerts), used to assess noise levels from such events states that “For events continuing or held between the hours 2300 and 0900 the music noise should not be audible within noise-sensitive premises with windows open in a typical manner for ventilation”.

‘Noise modelling has been completed for this event which shows that this standard will not be met between 2300 and 0000, in that music noise will be audible at the surrounding residential dwellings. The applicant has agreed that the licence be conditioned in that the main music stage will be closed by 2300 and between 2300 and 0000 there will not be music noise audible at the nearest residential dwellings from acoustic performances.

‘No public objections have been received by the Directorate in respect of this application.

‘It is therefore recommended that Ballymoney Borough Council grant the issue of an outdoor entertainments licence for the event, subject to the provision of a satisfactory electrical test certificate on the day of the event to a designated officer of the Council and compliance with the agreed event management plan.’

It was also recommended that delegated authority be given to the Deputy Director of Borough Services to issue the licence on behalf of the Borough Council.