Concert Events Approved at Globe Arena

Morecambe Football Club's plans for music concerts at its Globe Arena stadium have been approved today by Lancaster City Council's planning committee.

The permission comes after 9 months of negotiation and discussion led by MAZE Planning Solutions, required to overcome a wide range of concerns about noise, traffic and event management raised by the local authority, police and Lancashire County Council.

Morecambe FC will be allowed to hold three days of live music events each year, with the potential to attract up to 12,000 music fans each day. It's likely the event will take the form of a festival spanning 2 or 3 consecutive days during the closed football season so full use can be made of the stadium

Most Planning Committee Members were keen to enable an event to be held to capture tourism benefits for the resort, balancing that against the need to protect the amenity of local residents.  A temporary planning permission has been given, which allows the Football Club's commitment to good working practices for event management and noise control to be demonstrated.

MAZE led the planning process, assisted by the Manchester office of Hepworth Acoustics, which provided specialist noise modelling expertise.

Morecambe FC 'On Song'

MAZE Planning Solutions is working with its established client, Morecambe Football Club, to bring an exciting new music event to the town, which would be hosted at the club's Globe Arena stadium. Proposals are being worked up for a 2 or 3 day music festival which it is hoped could become an annual event in July each year, starting in 2012.

MAZE has submitted a planning application to Lancaster City Council to vary an existing planning condition which currently restricts use of the stadium to sporting events only. Understandably it's a cause of concern to some local residents worried about noise and crowds, but the Football Club is well used to managing events and will be working with specialist concert promoters and managers to ensure the process runs smoothly.

The planning application is supported by Noise Assessment work undertaken by specialist adviser, Hepworth Acoustics, and it's proposed that events will comply with the Noise Council's Code of Practice for noise control at concerts, a nationally recognised standard of good practice.

Development of the visitor economy in Morecambe, including festivals and other such special events, is a key corporate priority for Lancaster City Council. Events at Globe Arena would raise the town's profile as a leisure destination, encourage more visitors to the District and bring with it expenditure on overnight stays, eating out, shopping and related activities to boost local businesses.

It's hoped that planning permission will be granted shortly so that preparations for the inaugural 2012 event can be put in motion.