'Salthaus Project' could turn Salthouse Mills, Barrow into DJ event

Permission is being sought for a licence to serve alcohol and play music at Salthouse Mills on September 3. 

The proposed 'Salthaus Project' event has been hit by opposition from environmental health and the police. 

Concerns have been expressed over the 'unsafe' nature of the site, which is 'littered with rubbish' and has an uneven floor, and disturbance to nearby residents. 

But James Bonner, a director at Pitch Up Events Ltd, which is behind the plans, said identified issues would be addressed by the time the event went ahead. 

"We don't start site works until the Monday coming up, through till Wednesday," he said on Friday. 

"So this is stuff like filling potholes, making sure the ground's even to stop hazards, and things like that.

(L/R) James Bonner, Josef Jackson, and James Howden, directors at Pitch Up Events Ltd

"We are confident that all these [identified issues] are going to be rectified in the lead-up to the event."

He said some buildings had already undergone structural assessments.

Police Sergeant Joanne Smith outlined in an email that the police felt the ground could be a trip hazard and that the uneven access to the area would cause difficulty for emergency services.

"The area is littered with rubbish, including metal, which could be used as a weapon if violence was to occur," she said.

"The residents of Dowie Close would certainly object due to the amplified noise from this area."

Ivor Churcher, commercial team leader in public protection services at Barrow Borough Council, said: "The walled surfaces within remains of the building are broken and uneven in places and in an unstable condition."

Alison Coward, senior environmental protection officer and climate specialist at Barrow Borough Council, said in her objection that she had requested the applicant – Josef Jackson, another director at Pitch Up Events – carry out a noise survey. 

"I have not received this information, so I cannot say what level of noise would be acceptable at the nearest residences," she said.

"The building proposed for the stage and sound equipment has no roof or windows, so the building will provide little acoustic insulation."

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Mr Bonner said: "We always do noise surveys in the lead-up to an event, we just hadn't done it yet.

"We have conducted a noise survey around the local residents and local area, we have got noise readings now."

He said hourly noise surveys would take place during the event and that residents would be given a 'noise hotline' number they could ring. 

The number would take members of the public through to a member of event staff, who would carry out a noise reading at the location in question.

Mr Bonner said noise levels could then be reduced accordingly.

The application for a temporary event notice is seeking permission for the sale of alcohol and the 'provision of regulated entertainment (live and recorded music)' between the hours of 1pm and 11pm on Saturday, September 3.

Mr Bonner said, however, that the event would run between 5pm and 11pm.

The temporary event notice would allow a maximum of 499 people at the event, a figure that includes staff and performers. 

The plans are to be discussed at a meeting of the borough council's licensing sub-committee on Tuesday.