Agenda item

To receive and consider the attached report of the Chief Officer (Elections and Regulatory) regarding an application for the grant of a premises licence, made by Mint Festival Limited, for Mint Festival Limited Newsam Green Farm, Newsam Green, Pontefract Lane, Leeds, LS15 9AD.

The report of the Chief Officer (Elections and Regulatory) presented an application for the grant of a premises licence, made by Mint Festival Limited, for Mint Festival Limited Newsam Green Farm, Newsam Green, Pontefract Lane, Leeds, LS15 9AD.

The application is for a large outdoor live music event to take place over 2 days, one weekend a year, and subject to a capacity of 7,500 persons on each day for Year One. The application explains for subsequent years the capacity may rise to 9,999 persons each day.

The application does not seek camping provisions and the planning of the event involves ongoing consultations with Leeds Safety Advisory Group (SAG) with submissions of a comprehensive Events Management Plan (EMP).

In summary, the application is for:

·  Sale by retail of alcohol, Saturday – 10:00 until 23:45 and Sunday 10:00 until 22:45

·  Late night refreshment, Saturday, and Sunday 23:00 until 00:00

·  Exhibition of film, performance of live music, performance of recorded music, performance of dance and entertainment of similar description, Saturday 10:00 until 23:00 and Sunday 10:00 until 22:00

It was noted that in one arena only there will be reduced levels to agree with Environmental Health conditions from 23:00 to 23:45 on Saturday and 22:00 until 22:45 on Sunday.

The following were in attendance for this item:

·  Chris Rees-Gay, Applicant’s Representative

·  Shane Graham, Mint Festival Limited (Director)

·  Baz Arjomand, Mint Festival Limited

·  Warren King, Noise Expert

·  Andy MacKinnon, Transport Expert

·  Luke Warner, Security

·  Bobby Sagoo, Event Coordinator

·  Simon McHardy, Security

·  Richard Harrington, Medical

·  Councillor Mark Dobson, Objector

The Legal Adviser to the Sub-Committee outlined the procedure for the hearing and Entertainment Licensing presented the application.

Representations were received from West Yorkshire Police (WYP) in their capacity as a responsible authority. In this instance, the operating schedule has been amended to include measures agreed with WYP, and therefore withdrawn their representation. Representations were also received from ‘other persons’, four individual letters from members of the public on the grounds of crime & disorder, public safety and public nuisance.

The Applicant’s Representative informed the Sub-Committee of the following points:

·  Mint Festival Limited is considered an experienced operator, with over 20 years’ experience.

·  Day 1 of the festival will be dedicated for house and dance music and the 2^nd day of the festival will be a ‘he/she’ day which is considered a cultural and social event.

·  Mint Festival is student orientated, for ages 20 – 25 years.

·  A number of those listed in attendance have 15 years’ experience working with Mint Festival and therefore, have experience with dealing with this type of event.

·  Close liaison has taken place with the SAG and the event will take place on a weekend in September 2023. An extensive EMP has been before the SAG and the contents of such plan are contained in the supplementary information.

·  Liaison has also been made with local residents and ward members. Ward members from Rothwell, Burmantofts & Richmond Hill, Garforth & Swillington and Temple Newsam were consulted with, and details can be found in the supplementary information. Additionally, notices were put up every 50 metres, as well as displaying notices in Woodlesford and Swillington. 

·  Mint Festival Limited will seek to expand the application, should the festival be successful.

·  The extra hours sought allow for an extended period of time for gradual disbursal to mitigate noise.

·  The SMP details that a letter is circulated with residents 2 weeks before the event takes place and there will also be a dedicated telephone helpline.

·  There are no remaining representations from responsible authorities. It is important to note that there is no concerns raised regarding noise and traffic from responsible authorities.

·  In response to the representations received, it was confirmed that:

o  The 2020 application for a licence attracted a lot more representations and the success of the 2021 event and extensive work with ward members evidences a proactive operator.

o  Mint Festival Limited reached out to the objectors and Councillor M Dobson but was unsuccessful in further liaison.

o  The noise levels from the event held in 2021 have been included in the supplementary information. The proposed event is much smaller than the previous and contained within the conditions there is a requirement for an independent noise consultant, retention of a noise log, complaints line and auditability specific condition.

o  There is a specific waste management plan as well as a drugs policy in the SMP. There is 0 tolerance to drugs, and a robust condition in place to deal with that.

o  Provision for parking has been doubled and placed every 10 metres. The Community Resolution Team will be dealing with reports of parking issues.

o  Restrictions around pick-ups and drop-offs will be communicated and there is also a public right of way for those exiting the festival by foot.

o  There is a dedicated welfare centre on the entrance of the festival, and on the main route should people need to use it. Doctors and nurses will be present.

o  Titan are providing a dedicated dispersal team, and there is a 45 minute staggered dispersal period. It is envisioned that 65% of people attending the festival will use the shuttle busses, and there is also a dedicated taxi service using Wheels and Amber cars.

o  There is no intention of camping, and Mint Festival Limited will act accordingly should anyone be spotted trying to camp.

o  The previous festival was well managed, and there is no evidence of it being poorly managed.

Councillor M Dobson attended the meeting on behalf of 2 local resident who submitted representations, to express their concerns. Councillor Dobson explained that the applicant did reach out to the local residents, as well as himself. However, did not respond as he wished to present a case to the Sub-Committee. Councillor Dobson felt that the applicant has ‘learnt lessons’ from 2020 in terms of the scope of the event being reduced and the provision of camping being removed, and this was seen in a positive light.

Councillor Dobson raised particular concern in terms of dispersal and explained that many people arriving at the festival can cause congestion. There was also evidence that people from the festival were door-knocking on nearby properties and it is believed they were under the influence of alcohol / drugs. The main concern set out by residents, is the welfare of young people and moving people safely from the festival. Councillor Dobson sought assurances regarding a plan for traffic management and staffing clarity through the night in terms of traffic on ensuring people are safe. Councillor Dobson acknowledged the good aspects of the festival held in 2020, as well as the challenges presented and sought assurances from the applicant regarding the concerns set out above.

In response to questions from Sub-Committee members, the following information was confirmed:

·  Clarity on withdrawal of previous applications primarily due to finances and it was confirmed that the festival when held at East Leeds Airport, was successful. However, there was issues in terms of the landowner and viability implications. Mint Festival took the opportunity to bring the festival more centrally to Leeds with Newsam Green Farm.

·  The decision to reduce numbers from the 2020 application, is primarily due to the number of representations received previously from local residents. The operator felt the amendments would satisfy representors and prove to them they are a reliable operator and gradually introduce larger numbers.

·  The applicant does not want camping provisions and acknowledges the complications this can cause. The site is 6 minutes away from the city centre on a shuttle bus and does not foresee a need for such provisions.

·  Due to previous issues with people exiting the event site, there will be provisions to use a public right of way for anyone wishing to walk and this aims to keep them off the main carriageway of the main road. It is intended that people walking will be a last case scenario and there are options to take people walking to their local village to ensure they are safe. Coaches / mini-busses will also be available and will identify people who are walking, as well as staff on-foot to point people in the direction of those vehicles. Staff are briefed on engagement with young people, and there will be teams on-site post egress ensuring that any vulnerable person/s is taken to a place of safety.

·  There is a community safety team who create a presence in the nearby villages, as well as roads near the exit of the site to ensure people are making their way home safely.

·  There are different systems for vehicular access, i.e., there is a certain access point for drop-offs / pick-up points / waiting area. Communications will be shared regarding a map containing information on access / egress.

·  There will be medical provisions and a number of staff including doctors, nurses, first aiders and paramedics available should anybody need attention.

·  Amnesty bins will be provided at a number of different points upon arrival and people will be provided with the opportunity to surrender any substances they may have. Discussions with the SAG and WYP will be undertaken to discuss the process of this.

·  There is a number of staff who will stay on-site at all times, but the majority of staff will stay in nearby hotels.

·  Production and dismantling / removal of equipment is staggered over a number of days to avoid traffic congestion.

·  The age limit to purchase a ticket is 18+ and there is a challenge 25 policy in place. People purchasing a ticket online will have to present photo identification when setting up their account, and anyone entering the site will also need to provide photo identification to prove it matches the name on their ticket.

·  The applicant offers free access for local authority staff associated with the application, to do a walk-around on-site.

·  To the west of the site there is a car park and pick-up / drop-off area and to the east of the site there is the shuttle bus area.

Councillor Dobson added that the concerns that had been raised, were satisfied and the applicant provided a ‘genuine willingness’. Councillor Dobson also requested to visit the event in action.

The Applicant’s Representative summarised by highlighting the number of changes made to respond to the representations received, in terms of dispersal and reduction of numbers. He also explained that Mint Festival Limited is a professional and experienced operator, working in liaison with the local community and number of partners to make the event work. The event will be half the size of the previous, with less crowds to disperse and a comprehensive operating schedule has been formed that is bespoke to the event.

Members considered all the information presented to them in the agenda pack and at the meeting.

RESOLVED – To grant the application as applied for.

(Councillor A Smart left the meeting at this point)