Cambridge Rock Festival sparks noise concerns

  • Published
Adrian Bayford celebrates his lottery winImage source, AFP
Image caption,

Adrian Bayford netted a £148m prize in 2012

A music festival in a Lotto winner's garden has attracted concerns about "intolerable" noise as organisers try to get permission from the council.

The Cambridge Rock Festival is a four-day event at the Linton estate of Adrian Bayford, who won £148m in 2012.

Its organisers have applied for a new type of licence from South Cambridgeshire District Council.

But Linton Parish Council has claimed the festival might cause "severe disturbance to peace and sleep".

The festival switched to Mr Bayford's grounds in Horseheath in 2017, having previously been held near Barton since 2009.

It is not going ahead in 2023 due to a change in licence that had to be applied for, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

'Considerable public nuisance'

RBF Festivals Limited's application includes allowing it to go ahead for four days between May and September each year.

It also seeks permission for live music and the sale of alcohol between 11:00 and 23:00 BST, and for up to 1,500 people to attend, including staff, contractors, and entertainers.

Image source, Concert Photography Plus
Image caption,

About 3,000 people had attended the festival when it was held near Barton

No objections have been raised by police, Cambridgeshire County Council highways team, environmental health, the fire service, or trading standards.

The parish council raised concerns about noise from overnight camping which it claimed would be out or the organiser's control.

Objections have also been made by some people living in neighbouring West Wickham.

In its application, the organiser sets out some of the measures it plans to take to follow the licensing objectives, including monitoring sound levels and having a complaints hotline.

The district council's licensing sub-committee is due to decide whether to approve the licence when it meets on Tuesday.

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