Warwickshire rugby club’s festival plans quashed by councillors

Stratford-on-Avon District Council’s three-strong licensing panel, featuring Councillor David Curtis (Lib Dem, Stratford Shottery), Councillor Chris Mills (Con, Kineton) and Councillor Ian Shenton (Con, Wootton Wawen), backed the authority’s employed professionals who argued the site was unsuitable for such an event.

Derby-based events company On Tick applied to hold a two-day event across the weekend of Saturday, July 12 and Sunday, July 13 at the Loxley Road site, accommodating up to 2,500 people each day.

That plan was scaled back from what was initially asked for with the maximum capacity halved from 5,000, operating hours on each day shortened by an hour and one-off permission requested instead of the green light to stage the event annually.

The council’s licensing officers were worried about the potential for nuisance and disturbance from so many people leaving at the end and the safety of them doing so, particularly given the potential for many cars to be parked on surrounding roads. It was also argued that the organisers would not be able to put on a satisfactory show while adhering to noise limits to protect the public from nuisance.

On Tick arrived at last week’s licensing hearing with barristers Josef Cannon KC who said the firm was happy to stick with the limits, urging councillors to allow them to prove they could be stuck to. He also said that more people safely made their way to and from the site for the annual fireworks display which is run by rugby club volunteers, not a professional company like On Tick.

However, the panel was not won over.

The decision, signed off by chair Cllr Curtis, said that panel “does not have confidence that the festival operator will be able to comply with the suggested noise limit and that local residents will suffer a noise nuisance”.

The volume of homes adjoining the site was referenced and then “rejected the comparison” between the fireworks and festival events.

On traffic management, the ruling continued: “The panel has concerns for public safety around traffic congestion around the site and the ability for emergency vehicles to access the site.

“The traffic management plan relies on a temporary road closure of Loxley Road and the applicant confirmed that this has not been applied for as yet. The proposed event is seven weeks away and the local highways authority (Warwickshire County Council) advises it can take up to 12 weeks to obtain a temporary road closure.

"The panel doubts whether a temporary road closure could be obtained in time and whether one would even be granted.

“Loxley Road has no parking and waiting restrictions at the weekend and is a bus route.

"In the absence of a temporary road closure or suspension of on-street parking along Loxley Road, people attending the proposed event would be able to park along both sides of the road, reducing the road to a single lane at best.

"The road would likely become congested and emergency vehicles may not be able to access the site.

“Further, the applicant is proposing that Manor Road would be alternative access for emergency vehicles.

"Again, in the absence of a temporary road closure or suspension of on-street parking along Manor Road, it would likely become congested and emergency vehicles may not be able to access the site.

"The panel does not believe Manor Road would be available for alternative access and that this presents another risk to public safety.

“Given the concerns over noise nuisance and real risks to public safety posed by the inadequate traffic management plan, the panel refuses the application.”