106 | The sub-committee received a report of the Corporate Director for Place concerning an application for the grant of a Premises Licence at Southchurch Park, Shaftsbury Avenue, Southend-on-Sea
The Application was presented by Mr Ian Brown (Parks manager at Southend-on-Sea Borough Council) and Ms M. Adio (a Director of Kettzone Ltd who are a tenant of Southchurch Park Café).
The Sub Committee noted that no objections to the application had been received from any of the Responsible Authorities. 5 representations had however, been received from local residents, two of whom, namely Mr Taylor and Ms McDonnell attended the hearing and spoke. Mr Taylor also spoke on behalf of Mrs Bloxham, another of the objectors, who was unable to attend the hearing.
The objectors' concerns essentially related to two of the licensing objectives, namely the prevention of public nuisance and public safety. These concerns included noise nuisance from previous events, car parking, congestion and road safety and the potential increase in the number of events that could take place at this location if the application was granted.
The sub-committee also noted that the ownership of the premises belonged to Southend-on-Sea Borough Council and that Kettzone Ltd occupied the café adjoining the application site as tenants of the Council. A number of events had already taken place at this location over 2013 and 2014. No complaints had been received in respect of these events.
At the hearing the applicants offered to limit the regularity of the events to either a Saturday or Sunday on any weekend. Further conditions were offered by the applicant to address residents' concerns.
The Sub Committee considered all the evidence and submissions that had been made at the meeting and the written documentation that had been presented prior to the hearing. The Sub Committee also had regard to the National Guidelines and the Borough Council's Statement of Licensing Policy and considered the four licensing objectives, namely the prevention of crime and disorder, public safety, the prevention of public nuisance and the protection of children from harm, as they related to this application.
The sub-committee felt that the conditions attached to the report of the Corporate Director for Place, including the additional conditions offered by the applicant at the hearing, would be sufficient to address the concerns of the residents. There was also the power to review the licence should such problems occur. In view of this and on the basis of the evidence presented to them, the sub-committee did not consider the promotion of the licensing objectives would be undermined by the granting of this application.
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