Southdowns was appointed by London Borough Wandsworth to provide an independent review of the licence terms attached by London Borough Lambeth for the upcoming SW4 Concert on Clapham Common. This review included preparation of a critique of the event organiser’s various management plans and reports, with the view to preparing and giving expert evidence at the appeal court hearings, on behalf of Wandsworth Council.
The SW4 Outdoor Music festival event is held annually on Clapham Common over the August bank holiday and includes dance orientated music from around the site. LB Lambeth, who control part of the park, had granted a licence to the organisers for the 2017 event, based upon noise limits set-out in the Council’s newly approved policy document. More than half of the Common is located in LB Wandsworth and in response to its residents concerns, the Council objected to the granted noise limits and mounted a legal challenge on the basis of increased adverse community response during the 2016 event.
In an out of court settlement, prior to the appeal hearing, LB Lambeth agreed to reduce noise limits within LB Wandsworth, comply with an earlier finish to the music on the final day of the event, and to the provision of a further fixed noise monitoring station during the event for LB Wandsworth residents.