by Kathryn Tye

ktye@thekmgroup.co.uk

Canterbury's Lounge on the Farm music festival has been given the official go-ahead by the city council.

A meeting of the council’s Licensing Sub-Committee last Thursday adjourned without granting a licence after objections were raised by the fire service and the council’s health and safety and environmental protection teams.

Festival organisers were asked for more information by the sub-committee, which was due to meet again to discuss the application on Thursday, April 28.

Following the meeting, however, negotiations involving all the objectors and festival organisers resulted in all the objections being withdrawn.

As a result, a licence has now been granted without the need for a further hearing.

The licence is for a weekend festival in the summer of every year on that site for a maximum of 9,999 people.

If the festival wishes to change any aspect of this – for example, increase attendance to a higher number – it will need to apply for a new licence.

The three-day festival is taking place at Merton Farm, off Nackington Road in Canterbury from July 8, and will be headlined by The Streets and Ellie Goulding.

See next week's Gazette for full report and reaction.