Luton approves licence for three-day music festival in park

The festival will include four stages of amplified music and a funfair

A major music festival promoter has been given approval for a three-day event in Luton.

Promoter Melvin Benn applied to stage a festival at Stockwood Park in the town from 24 May.

Mr Benn runs Festival Republic Limited which organises festivals including Latitude, Reading/Leeds and BBC Radio 1's Big Weekend.

Luton Council approved his licensing application in a meeting in the Town Hall on Monday.

In a statement, the council said: "The application was agreed with minor amendments."

The BBC has approached Festival Republic for comment.

Plans submitted to Luton Council show how the festival would use Stockwood Park

This licence will allow entertainment including live music, recorded music, dance performances and films, as well as enabling alcohol to be sold to be consumed on the site.

Permission was being sought from 12:00 BST to 23:30 on 24 May and from 09:30 to 10:30 on 25 and 26 May.

There will also be soundchecks ahead of each day's entertainment and for rehearsals on 23 May.

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A resident submitted a representation to the council last month complaining that there could be noise disruption, anti-social behaviour and that the main entry points to the park via London Road and Farley Hill might get congested.

He said the sound from the PA system would be frequently audible in the gardens of Whitehill Avenue and called for noise levels to be monitored.

The council said the applicant addressed these concerns and agreed for noise level monitoring using sound meters throughout, with staff walking around the venue regularly.

A noise hotline would be available during the festival, manned at all times, while Mr Benn had agreed to consult the local community ahead of the event.