Greenwich Summer Sounds can continue, council says after school complaint

Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance said it was very impacted by the event

A south-east London music festival is allowed to continue, after a nearby music school complained about noise.

Greenwich Council has said International Management Group (IMG) can carry on hosting Greenwich Summer Sounds at the Old Royal Naval College.

It comes after Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance said it had to cancel a show and reschedule open days in July.

The music school made an application to the council to review the licence.

Greenwich Summer Sounds takes place each year in Lower Ground Square from 4-8 July, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

Phil Harding from the school, which is based in the King Charles Building beside the square, told the licensing review sub-committee meeting it previously requested the festival be postponed for a week until the academic term was over.

However, he said his request was denied and the school has to reschedule its open days, with continued noise disruption from the festival's setup.

Speaking on behalf of IMG, Linda Burford said the conditions of the promoter's licence were upheld during the event and said no amplified sound came from the site during the time period complained about by the school.

Not unreasonable or disproportionate

The licensing sub-committee said noise made at the festival this year was not unreasonable or disproportionate and the licence was to remain in place.

Kate Miners, director of public engagement and commercial at The Greenwich Foundation, which conserves the Old Royal Naval College, said dates for the next four years of events for the festival had also recently been shared with the school to aid with discussions.

She added no future evening performances are due to take place during Trinity Laban's rescheduled open days.

Ms Miners told those in the meeting: "I and my colleagues at The Greenwich Foundation remain strongly committed to working very closely and openly with our tenants, as I feel we have done here, and our site partners and neighbours to create a lively, welcoming and culture-filled borough for everyone."

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