South Cambridgeshire District Council

Licensing (2003 Act) Sub-Committee

The application

To consider the grant of a Premises Licence.

Background

On 2 June 2023, an application for the grant of a premises licence for Horseheath Lodge, Horseheath Lodge Estate, Dean Road, Cambridge, CB21 4PT was submitted to the Licensing Authority, advertised and consulted upon.

The proposed application seeks to carry out the following activities:

A statutory 28-day consultation period started on 2 June 2023 and ended on 30 June 2023. This enabled Responsible Authorities and ‘Other Persons’ to make representations towards the application. ‘Other Persons’ includes any individual, body or business whether or not they live in the vicinity.

The application was advertised in the Cambridge Independent on 21 June 2023, and the site notice displayed on the premises as required. Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service had no objection to the application but provided some observations. Planning had no objection and confirmed that planning permission was not required. 

The Police had no objection to the application and agreed with the applicant several conditions to be imposed on any licence granted including the condition “This licence shall permit The Cambridge Rock Festival, one annual, four-consecutive day festival event to take place at the premises between 1 May and 30 September annually, with a limit on attendees of 1500 (including staff, contractors, and entertainers).

Cambridge County Council Highways had no objection to the application and agreed conditions to be imposed on any licence granted including “Need to contact Highways no later than 12 weeks prior to the event if a temporary traffic regulation order (TTRO) is required (Speed Limit Reduction).

Relevant representations

Environmental Health had no objection to the application and have agreed with the applicant several conditions to be imposed on any licence granted.

Trading Standards had no objection to the application.

There were no responses from other Responsible Authorities.

Representations were received from Linton Parish Council and three residents.

The applicant’s additional supporting submissions followed, were sent to all parties and displayed on the website.

Observations:

The panel heard representations from the applicant, who explained the details and key points of the application and the events that would take place, including the demographics of these events. The following was explained:

Decision

Taking all the above into account the Sub-Committee decided to grant the Premises Licence.

Reasons

·       This event had run at Horseheath Lodge in 2017 and 2018 only. There had been no events subsequently at this location until the application in 2023. When the events in question ran in 2017 and 2018 there had been no complaints or concerns relating to the four Licensing Objectives.

·       There had been no complaints received by the Licensing Authority. The directors David Roberts and Julia Stanton said the only contact they had received from the public on the night of an event, was asking what time the event would end.

·       There was evidence supplied by Mr Roberts from Horseheath Parish Council which explained the event was clearly well managed with adequate stewards and no excess noise, residents stated strong support for the Rock Festival at Horseheath Lodge.

·       Cllr David Bald of Linton Parish Council raised concerns in anticipation of noise nuisance and the ability to report complaints contemporaneously to the Licensing Authority. On investigation, it seemed that previous complaints to Linton Parish Council did not relate to the Cambridge Rock Festival.

·       Three residents from West Wickham had submitted objections but did not make reference to the dates of the events. The complaints were of a general nature and could not be attributed to the Cambridge Rock Festival.

·       Traffic. David Roberts advised ticket purchasers to exercise caution as the A1307 is a fast road; the panel felt this demonstrated that he was a conscientious event organiser.

·       David Roberts explained that the pattern of arrival was staggered between those arriving to camp for four days and those arriving for day events. The festival had never experienced queueing back onto the highways.

The premises user, Mr Roberts, has a right of appeal against the decision to issue a counter notice, to the Cambridge Magistrates’ Court within 21 days of receiving notification of this decision however, no appeal can be brought later than 5 working days before the day on which the event period specified in the temporary event notice begins.

Signed:

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Councillor Anna Bradnam (Chair)

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Councillor Jose Hales       

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Councillor Mark Howell

Dated: 25 July 2023