Agenda item

The Committee was advised that the Falls Park had a 7-Day Annual Outdoor Entertainments Licence and a 7-Day Annual Indoor Entertainments Licence for a Marquee and both had been used to hold events in the past, primarily for Féile an Phobail.  The Licences were held by the City and Neighbourhood Services Department and were transferred to the organisers for the duration of their event.  The days and standard hours during which entertainment may be provided were Monday to Sunday, from 11.30 am to 11.00 pm.

In addition, the following Special Conditions were attached to both the Marquee and Outdoor Entertainments Licences:

·         Maximum numbers to be agreed at the discretion of the Building Control Service and will vary depending upon individual concert set up proposals;

·         Prior to any event taking place the promoters were required to demonstrate evidence of early consultation and have in place a robust system of dealing with any complaints, to be agreed in advance with the Council.

·         Any requests to provide entertainment later than 11.00 pm must be considered by the Licensing Committee and therefore must be made at least 3 months in advance of the proposed event.

·         Should an application to provide entertainment beyond 11.00 pm be granted and the Council then receive a significant number of complaints regarding noise or the complaint is of such significant impact, authority is granted to the Director of Planning and Building Control, in consultation with the City Solicitor, to reduce the finishing time for any subsequent nights of the event, in which case the promoter would be required to make contingency arrangements.

            The Director highlighted that, as it was a request for the Council’s permission to extend the hours under an existing Licence Condition, there was no requirement for public advertisement.

The event organiser had indicated that outdoor music events were scheduled for two sets of three consecutive nights, Friday 1st, Saturday 2nd and Sunday 3rd August, and on Friday 8th, Saturday 9th and Sunday 10th August, 2025.  The request was to provide entertainment beyond 11.00 pm on those six nights. 

The Members were advised that the event had been running for over 30 years as a community festival and in recent years organisers had consolidated the music events hosted at Falls Park to six nights.  The decision had been motivated by a desire to limit disruption to the community in close proximity to the Falls Park. 

The Members were reminded that, in 2024, the Committee had agreed to grant the organisers permission to operate on seven nights of the event beyond the standard hours of 11.00 pm, to 1.00 am, and on all those nights, entertainment did continue beyond 11pm.

            The Director outlined that the PSNI had been contacted by the Service in relation to the event, however, a response had not yet been received.   She explained that, should the Committee be minded approve the extended hours requested, it should be subject to a satisfactory response from the PSNI on the matter.

            The Members were advised that officers had engaged with the event organisers and colleagues in City and Neighbourhood Services in relation to the festival and would participate in the multi-agency meeting to be held in advance of the event with the event organisers.  An Event Management Plan had been received and was being evaluated by the Council. 

It was reported that Council officers had carried out during performance inspections at previous events organised by Féile an Phobail and had found that the organisers had adhered to the health, safety and welfare management requirements during that time.

In 2024, 76 noise complaints were received over the period of the festival, a reduction from the approximately 120 noise complaints which had been received in 2023. 

The complaints received in 2024 were brought to the attention of the event organisers.  No formal action was undertaken in respect of the noise complaints received.

The Director reported that the cumulative impact of disturbance resulting from musical entertainment and congregation of large numbers of patrons attending the park had the potential to give rise to community annoyance.

The Committee was advised that the event organisers would again be required to engage with an acoustic consultant and requested to document a noise mitigation strategy for each night of entertainment.  The purpose of the strategy would be to demonstrate that noise from the event would not cause unreasonable disturbance to commercial and residential premises. 

The Director outlined that the noise mitigation strategy would be discussed at the pre-event multi-agency meeting. Last year, the Committee had requested that a sound consultant would be present on the nights of entertainment to carry out sound testing, and it was suggested that that would be a beneficial mitigation this year.

It was reported that the organisers would also be required to produce a suitable residents pre-notification letter containing a nominated event organiser contact that residents could refer concerns or make complaints to. The extent of the letter’s distribution, which would take place prior to the event, would be agreed with the event organiser by the Service in consultation with Environmental Protection Unit officers. 

The event organisers were reminded of the standard licence condition that receipt of significant complaints could lead to further late nights being curtailed. However, it could be impracticable during the festival to curtail further nights at short notice, and as complaints were not all received on the nights that were the subject of the complaint a full picture did not emerge until all complaints were collated, by which time the events could be concluded. 

            The Chairperson welcomed Mr. K. Gamble, CEO of Féile an Phobail, to the meeting.  He outlined that he had met with the PSNI the previous week and had provided them with the full event plan.  He explained that the festival organisers worked closely alongside a number of Council Departments, including City and Neighbourhoods, Licensing, Building Control and Community Safety officers.  He outlined that from mid-July they engaged with those residents who lived in close proximity to the event site.  The Members were also advised that all of the Féile an Phobail organising committees involved people who lived in the local area.  He stated that there had been a significant reduction in noise complaints from the previous year and that he would welcome a noise consultant on-site again this year.

            In response to a Member’s question around ensuring that the events were welcoming to those from across the City, Mr. Gamble stated that they engaged widely with elected representatives and community organisations throughout the City.  He stated that there had not been any complaints of a sectarian nature made to Féile an Phobail, nor any of the statutory agencies, and that the PSNI were present at all events.

            In response to a further Member’s query regarding late night noise on Sunday nights, Mr. Gamble stated that previously he had agreed with the Council that, after 11pm, the noise levels would be reduced.

            Moved by Councillor M. Donnelly,

            Seconded by Councillor Carson and

          Resolved – That the Committee agrees that events should be permitted to take place beyond the standard hours of licence, to 1.00 am the following morning, on the following six dates in August, 2025:

·         Friday 1st, Saturday 2nd, Sunday 3rd;

·         Friday 8th, Saturday 9th and Sunday 10th.

            The Committee further agreed that a sound consultant would have a site presence on the nights of entertainment to carry out sound testing.