Mayfair residents have won a partial victory in their quest to have noise levels lowered during summer concerts at Hyde Park. Westminster councillors emerged from a crucial meeting and an eagerly anticipated verdict with big ramifications for concert promoters and some of the biggest performing artistes in the world. From 2013 the number of concerts  will be scaled down from 13 to nine and audiences cut down from 80,000 to 50,000.

Residents had long campaigned to get some respite from the cacophony of thumping drum 'n' bass, repetitive looped vocals, and heavy bass layerings of rap acts over the years. The licencing sub-committee received evidence from residents and heard Hyde Park concerts had breached terms of their licence 24 times in 2011. It had been feared that performers like Madonna, Rihanna, Queen's Diamond Jubilee event organisers and other promoters would have had to cancel forthcoming gigs in what will be one of the busiest summers for outdoor performances in the park.

The council's licencing sub-committe said in its statement: "In the interests of
 residents and concert-goers, and after a review, Westminster Council’s licensing sub-committee today came to a compromise over the Royal Park’s licence to use Hyde Park as a concert venue. Key conditions that were previously agreed by the Royal Parks and the Environmental Health service, who applied for the review, will come into effect immediately - the reduction in the number of concerts and capacity will not take effect until 2013."

Conditions agreed by the Royal Parks and the Environmental Health service, which will take effect immediately are:

• Improved provisions for safety at the end of concerts including more stewards  paid for by the Royal Parks

• Increased provision for cleaning up mess left after concerts both in and around Hyde Park, with costs met by the Royal Parks

• Additional measures to deal with low-level sound and more monitoring points ie. Music with a repetitive bass beat, which will be tested through the 2012 events and re-assessed later in the year

Measures that will take effect in 2013 are:

• The number of concerts allowed will be reduced from 13 to 9

• The number of attendees at events will be reduced from 80,000 to 65,000 and in some cases 50,000

The licensing sub-committee heard the case for both sides and modified the recommendations to address the concerns of residents, concert-goers and organisers.

Cllr Audrey Lewis, Westminster Council’s Licensing Chairman said: “Legally, as central London’s licensing authority, we have a duty to balance the needs of local residents with the desire of concert organisers to hold events and the compromise that the committee has reached tonight does all of this. We will monitor the additional noise control measures and continue to work with both concert organisers and residents to ensure this is an effective solution to concerns raised.”

All parties were in agreement that there was an issue of public nuisance, with the Royal Parks themselves being prepared to make changes to their licence. The sub-committee had to determine how best to address those issues for the benefit of all involved.

As complaints almost doubled between 2008 and 2011, the council’s Environmental Health department submitted an application to review the licence and made clear that, in doing so, it had been reasonable and proportionate.  It was inconceivable that any other licensed premise which had attracted such a volume of complaints against it would not be subjected to such a review. Westminster Council will now be hoping it has reached a compromise solution which will appease promoters whilst also assuaging wealthy and powerful complainants.