Events licence is granted – under strict noise limits
NUMEROUS CONDITIONS IMPOSED AFTER OBJECTIONS
A DERBYSHIRE events venue will be allowed to stay open and play music for longer and on any day of the week – but under strict restrictions.
Mapperley Farm, in Main Street, Mapperley, has been hosting events for nine years, but sought more flexibility and security through a premises licence application.
Rosie Amber, one of the site owners, told an Amber Valley Borough Council planning hearing that the business had “110 per cent backing” from the village.
However, a number of objections to the plans – which include music and alcohol sales up until 1am on any day of the week, all year round – had been filed by residents living in West Hallam, a mile away from the venue across fields to the rear of the business.
One such resident, Susan Bayley, who lives in High Lane West, told the hearing that she and her family could regularly hear events at the farm when sitting in their garden, and from within bedrooms.
Dr Bayley said she “wanted to support the venue by not complaining” about the repeated noise issues.
Ms Amber reiterated to the hearing that the venue had not received “any official complaints” in nine years and that the lack of noise issues was backed up by numerous residents believing the site functions stopped at 11am, when they had always run until midnight.
She said: “We have operated for nine years with no official complaints, and this would give us the versatility of what we can do.
“We pride ourselves that we have had no complaints, the village is behind us 110 per cent. We are conscientious about our surroundings and we are always pro our village, we have lived there for 45 years.”
Melanie Goodier, the council’s principal pollution officer, told the hearing that the applicant had not responded when asked to provide details of how they would avoid a noise nuisance and mitigate the impact of events.
She said she was “concerned about the potential for noise nuisance and the adequacy of measures to protect against noise after 11pm”.
Ms Goodier said allowing such an application without widespread restraints would be “unprecedented in Amber Valley”. As such she proposed a number of tight conditions to control noise.
These state that the venue must cease use of outdoor areas at midnight and that a dedicated member of staff must oversee the departure of guests. Alongside this, between 9am and 11pm the venue must ensure that music played at the venue is never 15 decibels higher than the background noise level over a 15-minute period.
Between 11pm and 9am, music must not be audible within a noise-sensitive property with its windows open for ventilation. The venue must also not exceed 70 decibels at any of the noisesensitive properties during this time – equivalent to steady traffic.
Ms Goodier admitted the measures were “necessarily quite complicated”, and Ms Amber agreed the conditions would be workable for the venue.
Cllr John Porter said: “My concern is that children get a good night’s sleep before school, and people get a good night’s sleep before they go to work.”
Ms Amber said the residents who submitted objections relating to noise live “100 acres away from the site”, saying those living in other properties which are six acres away are supportive of the plans.
We pride ourselves that we have had no complaints, the village is behind us 110 per cent Owner Rosie Amber