Updated: A Flintshire caravan park has been given the green light to sell alcohol and play music after concerns over noise from the site were dismissed.

Updated: A Flintshire caravan park has been given the green light to sell alcohol and play music after concerns over noise from the site were dismissed.

Councillors met today (Monday, January 11) to discuss an application by the owners of Fron Farm Caravan Park in Hendre, near Mold.

They were seeking permission to sell alcohol to campers between 8am and 8pm most days, and until 10pm on Saturdays, as well as approval to play music indoors on Saturday nights.

Neighbours voiced objections after claiming it would cause a disturbance in a quiet countryside area, with some describing examples of “rowdy” behaviour at previous events at the site, which has 200 pitches.

However, Ceri Roberts, who runs the park alongside her husband, strongly denied the claims and said they were aiming to sell alcohol to visitors alongside an evening meal.

She added that the entertainment would either consist of acoustic or solo acts, which would not generate a large amount of noise.

Speaking at a virtual meeting of Flintshire Council’s licensing committee, she said: “We’ve never been approached by environmental health and noise pollution.

“If we’ve held an event, it would have been through applying for a temporary event notice.

“I would dispute what’s been said that excessively noisy events have been occurring historically.

“It makes this place sound absolutely awful and I think it’s quite unfair, particularly as some of these comments have gone into the newspapers.”

Her remarks came despite some neighbours stating that granting the licence would be “completely unacceptable”.

They said there had been cases where music had been played until nearly 1am during previous events at the park.

In a letter sent to the committee before the meeting, nearby resident Ian Betts said: “Past music, sporting and party events at this site have been highly disruptive, and the volume of music at such events has been clearly audible inside our home with all windows and doors closed, until 12.45am.

“(There was) associated shouting, screaming, and laughing as tourists make their way back across the site, until well into the early hours.”

Mr Betts said he had submitted several noise complaints to the council since 2012.

He said he had also kept a log of the noise incidents, but this was not included as part of his evidence.

Both the local authority and North Wales Police did not object to the application.

In response to questions over how he raised his concerns, Mr Betts said: “I found that actually going to the site and making a complaint had no impact and no results at all.

“Since then, I address my complaints written to the correct people in the council in the correct manner.”

He said the authority had refused to monitor noise levels at the caravan park, as with people constantly moving on and off the site, it would be difficult to identify who was responsible.

In her representations, Mrs Roberts said a number of measures would be put in place to ensure there is no disruption to neighbours, including CCTV, a “Challenge 25” policy to prevent alcohol sales to under 18s and noise tests.

The proposals specifically relate to the park’s cafe, site shop and reception area.

The application was approved after committee chair Tony Sharps said he’d grown tired of listening to counter claims between the two parties.

The Northop Hall councillor said: “All I’m doing at the moment is catching a cold here listening to all this stuff and I’m starting to feel a bit agitated by it.

“This has been a very long case where we’ve heard a lot of hearsay and accusations.”

At the end of the meeting, he added: “The decision is, Ceri Roberts, that we’ve agreed to allow your application, with no conditions.

“Thank you for the way that you presented your application.”

Previous report: Objections have been raised against a Flintshire caravan park’s bid to obtain an alcohol licence amid concerns over noise from the site.

Councillors are due to meet next week to discuss an application by the owner of Fron Farm Caravan Park in Hendre, near Mold.

If approved, it would result in alcohol sales being allowed between 8am and 8pm every day of the week, except for Saturday when the hours would be extended until 10pm.

Permission is also being sought for both live and recorded music to be played indoors between 8pm to 11pm on Saturday.

However, neighbours have voiced their opposition after claiming it would cause a disturbance in a quiet countryside area.

Some residents said there had already been examples of “rowdy” behaviour associated with events at the site, which has over 200 pitches, despite the park’s owners describing the number of police incidents as low.

In a letter, Shelley Lewis, who lives nearby, said: “The provision of a licence to consume alcohol and play music (inclusive of live bands) between the hours of 8am to 11pm at night is completely unacceptable for those who reside in close proximity.

“There have already been incidences of music being played at functions on this site which could be clearly heard until 1am in the morning in the confines of the living room of neighbouring properties followed by general unacceptable levels of rowdiness as they make their way back to their respective caravans/tents.

“As this is on private land, there is no police presence as there would be in a town that ensures socially acceptable behaviour is adhered to and it is evident that the current ‘self policing policy’ is ineffective for this purpose.”

She added: “This is a rural, agricultural area renowned for its tranquillity and those who permanently reside here have chosen to do so for this reason.

“The agreement and endorsement of this licence will change the nature of this forever and will deny local residents the right to enjoy a peaceful existence in their own homes.”

Despite the comments, North Wales Police and the council’s licensing department have raised no objections to the application subject to a condition for a CCTV system to be installed.

Officers have also asked for a “Challenge 25” policy to be used to prevent alcohol being sold to under 18s.

The proposals specifically relate to the park’s cafe, site shop and reception area.

In her representations to the local authority, park owner Ceri Roberts said a number of measures would be put in place to ensure there is no disruption to neighbours.

She said: “It is in our own interests to keep public nuisance to a minimum.

“We live on the same area as the park and patrol/support the concept of enjoyment and a holiday atmosphere.

“Anti-social behaviour is no good for our reputation. Behavioural rules are given out on arrival at the park and a 10.30pm noise curfew is imposed.

“Any events taking place are scheduled to finish at 10.30pm but we’ve applied for 11pm.

“We have very few incidents involving the police thank goodness. We will not serve to anyone who already appears to be drunk.”

The application will be considered by members of the council’s licensing committee at a meeting on Monday, January 11, 2021.

Liam Randall – Local Democracy Reporter (more here).