Bid to set up sound system on fringe of the Carnival is rejected
By Ben Lynch, Local Democracy Service
An application to play music to up to 300 people under a flyover during Notting Hill Carnival has been refused by the local council.
Kensington and Chelsea councillors rejected the submission after hearing how the premises lies outside of the official Carnival route, and that no evidence has been filed as to how the events will be managed.
Applicant Anthony Julius, who did not attend last week’s licensing sub-committee meeting, wrote in his application he has been playing music on the same spot since 2015.
The premises in question is beneath the Westway, an elevated dual carriageway in West London, on the path from the Maxilla Club to Bramley Chemist.
Mr Julius had requested permission for a Temporary Event Notice (TEN), to play music via a sound system from 12pm-7pm on August 25 and 26.
Three key concerns were however raised by the police over Mr Julius’ application, namely; the lack of detail provided, with no risk assessment or event management plan submitted; that the proposed sound system is not part of the official list of Notting Hill Carnival events; and that the landowner, Westway Trust, had not provided permission to use the land, leading to potential issues of trespass.
This position was backed by the council’s noise and nuisance team, which also provided written statements ahead of the meeting.
James Rankin, legal counsel for the Met Police, told the committee the force is not ‘anti-Carnival’, but that it wants the events to be safe.
He said: “Ideally, the sound systems are located on the Carnival route itself, but this is on the very edge of sector six, and it lies some streets away from the Carnival route itself and therefore doesn’t form part of the planning infrastructure.”
Mr Rankin added there is no evidence as to how the 300-person capacity would be enforced, nor any details on whether there would be security or stewards.
PS Paul Connolly said he had called Mr Julius twice and written to him following his submission, but did not receive the further details requested.
On why the location of the proposed sound system poses a particular risk, he said: “If something is going to occur outside [the official] boundary, there may be considerable concern from residents, and again that support infrastructure from all the emergency services and other support services is not in place, and that makes it extremely difficult for the police to react accordingly and to ensure safety.”
Keith Mehaffy, principal environmental health officer at the council, said over his 30-plus Carnivals, the local authority had never authorised a TEN in the premises requested.
He told the committee: “We cannot have a situation where people come in and inadvertently create what they want to do and [cause] additional noise to residents.”
Notting Hill Carnival is planned to take to the streets of West London on August 25 and 26.
Pictured top: The location under the Westway of the proposed events during Notting Hill Carnival (Picture: Google Street View)