Lambeth must consult more on music levels
Release date: Thursday 26th January 12
By: Charlie Masson Smith
Telephone 020 8871 6173 or Email: cmassons@wandsworth.gov.uk
Councillors in Wandsworth have expressed concerns over plans by neighbouring Lambeth to stage more concerts each year on Clapham Common and at the same time increase volume levels.
Lambeth has signalled that it wants to stage up to eight large scale concerts/music festivals on the common each year and allow music to be played up to 11pm.
At the same time it has also announced that it wants to increase permitted noise levels, which could lead to much greater noise disturbance to hundreds of homes in both boroughs.
The controversial proposals first emerged in the run up to Christmas, with Lambeth announcing its consultation would run for four weeks. Government rules say that consultations of this type should normally last 12 weeks, and in some cases even longer.
Wandsworth's official response to the consultation casts doubts on the methodology and the evidence used to justify any increases in noise levels.
In places the consultation is described as "flawed" and "defective" while an analysis of existing complaints "would suggest if anything that the current (noise) levels are too lax and that far from proposing any relaxation of noise levels a fair review of existing policy would have concluded that the current noise levels may need reducing".
Wandsworth's environment spokesman Cllr Jonathan Cook said: "I'm afraid that Lambeth is a long way from making a clear cut case for these changes.
"What it needs to do now is to sit down and engage more closely with residents who live near the common.
"It would simply not be acceptable for changes as drastic as these to be made without full and proper consultation with those most directly affected by any relaxation in the noise rules."
The borough boundary between the two boroughs runs north/south through the middle of the common - meaning that half the common is geographically located in the borough of Wandsworth. However for operational reasons the common is managed solely by Lambeth.
Officers and councillors from Wandsworth are actively raising this issue with their opposite numbers in Lambeth.
ENDS
Ends
Search news items since 14 October 2010 in the news archive.
Search news items since February 2000
Wandsworth Council news feed | About RSS.
Sign for our nightly news updates at www.wandsworth.gov.uk/subscribe
Follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/wandsworthbc
Follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/wandbc
Make and view comments on this article
You must carefully read and then agree to the Terms and Conditions before accessing the message board and posting a comment. If you do not wish to be bound by these Terms and Conditions, you may not access or use the message board.
If you wish to complain about a comment, contact us at press@wandsworth.gov.uk or to the member of the press team responsible for this news item:
Charlie Masson SmithTelephone: 020 8871 6173 or email cmassons@wandsworth.gov.uk
Recent comments
I am in favour of such concerts. I think an 11pm deadline is not unreasonable. The Common is far enough from housing for noise levels to be set at realistic (ie quite loud) volumesCaroline Robertson, Tooting
26 January 2012
Is there any justification is for increasing noise levels ?Surely Wandsworth council can have some powers in this if the common lies 50% in the borough.Already it is very heavily used recreationally by all parties,there must be a saturation point.Leonie Noble, Location not given
27 January 2012
I think 1030 is late enough for any venue and don't have an issue with noise levels I think it does show what an extradinarily badly run place Lambeth is though - all they are thinking about is how much money they can take in and not about residents. I would never live there.Simon, Balham
27 January 2012
The Friends of Clapham Common has responded in full to the consultation on increasing the noise limits and extending the closing time of events. We agree with Wandsworth Councilors that this consultation did not actively engage local residents and the incredibly short window for response was made worse by coinciding with the Christmas period. While it is noted that small number of interested bodies were consulted, we did not have sufficient time for us to consult our membership. We believe that a proposal of this nature, with far reaching implications for the Common and its residents, should have more a more considered review and not rushed through of a holiday period. It is clear that a robust consultation is now necessary. Melanie OxleyMelanie Oxley, London
27 January 2012
