To not understand how this can be allowed without anyone asking local residents?

[treatmelikeamushroom]

Just read a big announcement on our local facebook page saying a 3 day festival with an absolutely enormous capacity is being held on the fields behind my house this summer (my garden backs onto the fields). I don't want to say how big exactly because it's outing (news articles that come up if you google the exact figure) but it's several times bigger than the entire population of the small town I live in! The road access is really bad already and there's really bad traffic that causes hour long delays when the annual county show is held which is only on for 1 day and is a tiny number of people compated to this festival. There's never been anything even approaching this size here before, it's about 10 times the size of any events that the fields have ever held before. It's a fairly small site so to fit in what the organisers say they're fitting in (5 stages including a dance stage run by a very famous nightclub) every scrap of the fields will have to be used right up to the residents garden fences and the noise will be horrific.

But apparently it's a done deal and is all been given the green light by the town council? It's not a busy place at all, it's a very small town and the site has a main road running through the middle of it (so half the fields are on each side of this road) and housing estate running all down one side of it. Usually it's mostly used for just sheep and one or two of the fields (there's about 6 in total) for the small local event like car boot sales or the county show or a classic car show (and those events cause traffic chaos as it is despite being only very small events ) What I don't understand is I walk over those field nearly every day for the school run and there's been no notices about the plans or anything, no local residents have had a chance to see the plans or object or anything. I can't over state how unsuitable a venue this is for what I've read is happening without outing my location but its really really not at all appropriate! Do residents not have to be told or asked about plans for something thjs big and disruptive ??

I suspect that because it’s only for a few days, the answer is no. For something permanent, yes, they would have to consult. Can you plan a holiday that week?

Yes, as per above

Planning consultation process is for permanent buildings/ development not for approving events. I assume that your local council have given provisional approval to the plans though

No, there is no requirement to consult local residents. The owner of the land has applied to the council for permission to hold an event on their land. The council will require that measures are put in place to ensure emergency access, parking processes, waste management and marshalling as necessary.

The council view will be that it is one weekend, and will bring much needed revenue into the area. Local pubs, food vendors, farms, campsites etc will profit from it.

Whilst i can offer no practical help, you have my complete sympathy. I live near the Creamfileds site (not close enough it was a consideration when we bought our house), and if the wind is blowing in the right direction, we can hear it (I HATE dance music!). It causes total traffic chaos both before, during and immediately after the event (i have to pass the site to get to work). Yes it's only 1 weekend a year, but it's a pain in the a**. I can't imagine having it right behind my house. I hope you're able to escape for that weekend @treatmelikeamushroom x

YABU - nothing would ever happen if NIMBYs could just veto everything

It's only 3 days. I think you'll be fine.

Get your property on airbnb for the event, quids in

Do you own the field? Why do you think your permission is needed for this?

No wonder this country is turning into a 3rd world hellhole, when no one can get anything done without every Tom, Dick and Harry wanting to stick their oar in. Forget about building runways, train lines, housing, business parks and film studios - all of which would help the stagnating economy - now a festival or planned gathering needs permission from curtain twitchers.

Do you like the music? Maybe you and all your friends can enjoy it in your garden for free?

Host a free party in your garden for family, friends, DC’s friends ( age dependent) , include camping if you can.

What an opportunity for a weekend of fun. 🎶🎶🎶

The organisers will probably give tickets to those whose properties back onto the perimeter. Just go, enjoy it, it'll be over by Monday.

Sounds awful. I had the misfortune to unwittingly camp near a music festival in France and the noise was awful. I don't know that you'll stand any chance in getting the decision reversed but I would definitely plan to try to go away for those few days.

I'm surprised that there hasn't been a consultation period therefore giving residents the chance to complain/find out more.

For reasons that I won't go into, I'm currently waiting for a consultation period to end so that the council can consider whether or not to allow a two day music event.

I think that all you can do is to somehow make the most of it (Airbnb or just invite friends over) or go away for a couple of days. The positive thing is that you have time to make plans.

It’s just 3 days. I live near a park that hosts a summer music festival/outside gigs. They often offer early ticket access or reduced price tickets to local residents. The council is hot on not allowing noise after a certain time and making sure arrangements are in place to minimise disruption.

As PP have suggested, go and have fun or have a party in your garden and enjoy the music for free, or go away and let out your house… You could always do what some residents do in Notting Hill during carnival and charge a tenner to use your loo! 😂 There is often a massive queue!

Speak to your council/local counsellor or MP.

Creamfields takes place not far from me.

The houses that at nearby/across the road have 24 hour security, they get free tickets and hotel accommodation if they want to move out.

It's awful. Festival goers would climb and sleep/toilet in gardens. Damage property. Cars everywhere.

Since the changes with security I've not heard as many complaints.

There are also buses to the nearest towns to help people disburse.

Seriously book and go away. It will be hell on earth if its that close.

Ignore those saying oh have a wee party in the garden with free music or people complaining your a NIMBY.

We used to have a local festival in the industrial estate in our small town. It got a bit bigger so they used the sports centre grounds at the back of us (gardens with a wall then long narrow allotment section on an old railway bed then sports centre grounds - so pretty much next to our garden).

The organiser was taken unwell the day before so the people running it decided to add extra speakers for the music and point them at the houses. No idea why but it was like the thing was in my house.

Windows/doors with vents closed and the house was bouncing to the beat. No room in house had any escape at all. The glass in the windows rattled. My DP was night s so went well over 36hrs without sleep (12hr shift with 2hrs sleep before the soundcheck and no sleep then another 12hrs shift on top).

The cat we had to make some shelter with boxes and spare duvets for her to hide in. Eventually ug out headphones to actually be able to listen to the TV over it.

They went 2hours over so police made them stop. No one got kids to bed that night until well after 1am as everyone had same issue.

Thing is there are tons of events including overnight moonwalk things at sports centre with music that you can kinda hear at the back of the house but doesn't impact on your daily life. That one festival day was hell.

The following years it was actually okay so was definitely down to the extra speakers.

I mean our in laws who lived next town along could hear it.

Definitely book somewhere and go away if it's going ahead.

People come and toilet in gardens? You're joking 😱

Its not quite as big as Creamfields, I just checked their numbers and this event is a bit lower but it's approaching that size. Maybe if I could see the plans and knew where the tents and toilets and stages would be I'd feel a bit less anxious but as it is I've got no idea, I might have 50 portaloos or a dance tent less than 20m from my kitchen for all I know!

They will need a Noise Management Plan, and the police should have been made aware of it regarding traffic management and so on.

Licensing Act 2003.

Contact your local council licensing department, it is probably in the section for premises licences rather than planning and find out what is happening. Also email the Chair and the Clerk to the town/village council and ask them to investigate as a matter of urgency.

If you have a local facebook page, have a look on there - other people may already be posting objections.

They need to go through a formal process which should include a public consultation exercise. The Town Council will not be the licensing authority, that will be a higher tier authority, district, unitary or whatever you have there.

link

Speak to the MP to what end?

And for 51.5 weeks of the year you have Fields.

Go on holiday while it's on.

We have something similar that happens near my house- think one road over. I wouldn’t go away- I stay to keep car and house safe. Yes they provide security but not for our street. The police block the roads on safety grounds so you either have to park car a few streets away and walk in/out or stay in. I generally choose to stay in so I can keep my pets calm. The road facing get tickets but we don’t and we are just as badly affected.
Its pretty grim esp at end of concert time- lots and lots of noise and drunken idiots peeing in the road/gardens and generally making a mess.

If it was decent music I wouldn’t mind but it normally isn’t 🙄and the sound system makes it worse.

Either embrace it and bang some free tickets (and the opportunity to use your own shower) or go away for the weekend.

Perimeter security at festivals is usually very, very good.

Is it Big Weekend? Tell us where you are if so please!

Same thing has been announced in my town...wonder if its the same one! I'm hoping for a line up I like so I can join in the fun 🤣