Villagers voice concern over plans for community pavilion

Llanfair Waterdine Community Trust has applied to Shropshire Council for a premises licence for the new multi-purpose hall on the Joan Adams Community Field.

The trustees say it will allow the venue to host a range of activities to the benefit of the rural community, which lies on the Welsh border near Knighton.

An application form submitted to the council says events could include village fetes, children’s groups, committee meetings, indoor sports and social gatherings.

The trust has asked for a licence covering the sale of alcohol and refreshments as well as live and recorded music and other activities.

The hours applied for are 12pm to 11pm, extending to midnight on weekends and 1am on Christmas Eve, New Year’s Eve and for private events.

The application will be decided by the council’s licensing committee after nearby residents objected to the proposals.

A report to the committee by public protection officer Ross O’Neil says consultees including the police and the council’s trading standards, environmental health and planning departments supported the application.

The report says: “Trading standards were happy the applicant proposed a challenge 25 policy, however requested that their standard challenge 25 wording was used.

“Environmental health requested 9.30pm for windows and doors to be closed from the initial 11pm suggested by the applicant and the police were also happy with the drugs policy and exit notice but requested their standard wording along with taxi firms’ details to be displayed in the venue.”

There were 11 objections raised by members of the public, citing noise and road safety concerns.

The report says: “The public nuisance concerns relate to the nuisance that might be caused to local residents by the wooden building amplifying noise if a licence was to be granted.

“There is mention that the community believed the building was to be a sports pavilion and not a licensed premises and the hours applied for are too broad and open ended with little restrictions to cause nuisance to residents, which the trust could not manage.

“The public safety concerns relate to the single carriage road which would have an increase of volume from visitors, which has no street lighting or footpaths and provides access to and from the premises.”

The application will be decided by the licensing committee at a meeting on Tuesday, January 19.