7.1 The concept of “cumulative impact” has been described in the Section 182 guidance issued by the Home Office since the commencement of the Licensing Act 2003.
Cumulative impact assessments were introduced at Section 5A in the Licensing Act 2003 by the Policing and Crime Act 2017.
Cumulative impact is the potential impact on the promotion of the licensing objectives of a number of licensed premises concentrated in one area.
7.2 In some areas, where the number, type or density of licensed premises, such as those selling alcohol or providing late night refreshment, is high or exceptional, serious problems of nuisance and disorder may arise outside or some distance from those premises.
Such problems generally occur as a result of large numbers of drinkers being concentrated in an area, for example when leaving premises at peak times or when queuing at fast food outlets or for public transport.
7.3 Queuing in itself may lead to conflict, disorder and anti-social behaviour. Moreover, large concentrations of people may also attract criminal activities such as drug dealing, pick pocketing and street robbery.
Local services such as public transport, public lavatory provision and street cleaning may not be able to meet the demand posed by such concentrations of drinkers leading to issues such as street fouling, littering, traffic and public nuisance caused by concentrations of people who cannot be effectively dispersed quickly.
7.4 Variable licensing hours may facilitate a more gradual dispersal of customers from premises. However, in some cases, the impact on surrounding areas of the behaviour of the customers of all premises taken together will be greater than the impact of customers of individual premises.
These conditions are more likely to arise in town centres, but may also arise in other urban centres and the suburbs, for example on smaller high streets with high concentrations of licensed premises.
7.5 Once away from the licensed premises, a minority of customers will behave badly. Other mechanisms for addressing such concerns may be more appropriate than cumulative impact, or may work alongside licensing policy. For example:
- planning controls
- positive measures to create a safe and clean town centre environment in partnership with local businesses, transport operators and other departments of the local authority, including best practise schemes such as Purple Flag, Best bar None, Pubwatch or BIDs
- Community Protection Orders
- the provision of CCTV surveillance in town centres, taxi ranks, provision of public conveniences open late at night, street cleansing and litter patrols
- Public Spaces Protection Orders
- Police enforcement of the law concerning disorder and anti-social behaviour, including the issuing of fixed penalty notices
- prosecution for the offence of selling alcohol to a person who is drunk (or allowing such a sale)
- late night levy
- Early Morning Restriction Orders
- other licensing measures such as fixed closing times, staggered closing times and zoning
Cumulative impact assessments
7.6 A cumulative impact assessment (CIA) may be published by a licensing authority to help it limit the number or type of licences granted in an area where there is evidence to show that the number or density of licensed premises in the area is having a cumulative impact and leading to problems which are undermining the licensing objectives.
7.7 Weymouth and Portland Borough Council, one of the predecessor councils which were merged into Dorset Council on 1st April 2019 had an existing CIA in Weymouth town centre, designated following consultation and consideration of a CIA.
The CIA applies to applications for new premises licences and club premises certificates and applications to vary existing premises licences and club premises certificates within the area.
7.8 The initial assessment included a call for evidence from the responsible authorities, including crime statistic reports commissioned from Dorset Police and ASB/nuisance statistics provided by the council’s Licensing, Community Safety and Environmental Health Services.
Local residents were also given the opportunity to comment on the proposals through the consultation period and relevant elected ward councillors and Community Committees during the development of the cumulative impact assessment.
7.9 As required by the law, the council is conducting a formal consultation process on retaining the cumulative impact Area with:
- the responsible authorities
- licensees and those representing licensees
- local residents and businesses
- those representing local residents and businesses
7.10 Responses from these consultations will been reviewed and reports are available from the Licensing team.
7.11 The council will review the cumulative impact policy area at least every three years, as required by the legislation.
The CIAs are available on the council’s website with the committee papers.
Applicants should contact the Licensing team to ensure they are in possession of the latest information before making their application.
Cumulative Impact Areas
7.12 The cumulative impact assessment has shown that the number or type of licence applications granted in the following area(s) are having a cumulative impact and this is leading to problems which are undermining the licensing objectives.
Weymouth town centre
7.13 The council has considered the available data and has determined that there is an area that is suffering from the cumulative impact of licensed premises and as a consequence this is leading to problems which are undermining the licensing objectives.
7.14 Weymouth Town Centre is an area where the impact of the licensed premises is considered so severe that the council’s position is that any application for a new licence or the variation of an existing licence within the area should be refused, unless the applicant can show how their application would not lead to an increase in the detrimental impact of licensed premises in this area.
7.15 In this area the nature of the problems are alcohol related violent crime being perpetrated by people visiting and using this area during specific peak hours. More information on the evidence can be found in the cumulative impact assessment.
7.16 It would be inconsistent with the council’s duty to promote the licensing objectives to grant new and variation application for any premises licence (on sales, off sales and late-night takeaways), that seek to operate during the peak hours described in the cumulative impact assessment for the town centre.
Applications within a cumulative impact area
7.17 Applications for premises situated within a designated cumulative impact area for new premises licences or variations that are likely to add to the existing cumulative impact will normally be refused if relevant representations are received.
It is for the applicant to demonstrate that their application would not add to the cumulative impact of such licensed premises in the area and so give good reason for the council to depart from its own policy.
7.18 An applicant wishing to obtain a new or varied licence for premises falling within the cumulative impact area must identify, through the risk assessment process (if used) and operating schedule, the steps that they intend to take so that the council and responsible authorities can be satisfied that granting a new licence will not add to the problems already being experienced.
7.19 To assist this process applicants are encouraged to submit a full and thoroughly considered application at the earliest opportunity. The onus is on the applicant to demonstrate to the responsible authorities the suitability and detail for their planned operation.
The applicant is encouraged to make early contact with the responsible authorities to discuss their plans, and suggested control measures.
Applicants should also have particular regard to the guidance issued by the Home Office under section 182 of the Act.
7.20 The existence of a cumulative impact assessment for a specific area does not relieve the responsible authorities or any other person of the need to make relevant representations where they consider it appropriate to do so for the promotion of the licensing objectives.
Anyone making a representation may base it on the evidence published in the cumulative impact assessment, or the fact that a cumulative impact assessment has been published for that area. It remains incumbent on all responsible authorities and other people to ensure that their representations can withstand the scrutiny to which they would be subject at a hearing.
As with all licensing applications under the Licensing Act 2003, if there are no representations, the licensing authority must grant the application in terms that are consistent with the operating schedule submitted as part of the application.
7.21 The council recognises that cumulative impact policies should not be absolute.
The circumstances of each application will be considered properly on its own merits and applications for licences that are unlikely to add to the cumulative impact on the licensing objectives may still be granted, depending on the individual circumstances.
After receiving representations in relation to a new application or for a variation of a licence, the licensing authority will consider whether it would be justified in departing from its policy and cumulative impact assessment in the light of the individual circumstances of the case.
The impact can be expected to be different for premises with different styles and characteristics.
If the council decides that an application should be refused, it will still need to show that the grant of the application would undermine the promotion of the licensing objectives and that appropriate conditions would be ineffective in preventing the problems involved.
7.22 When considering an application where the subject premises is in a cumulative impact area, the council will need to be satisfied that the grant of the licence or variation will not impact on the cumulative impact of existing licensed premises in the area and as the burden of proof is on the applicant, they will often suggest measures which they assert will demonstrate there will be no impact.
Examples of factors the licensing authority may consider as demonstrating there will be no impact may include, though are not limited to:
- small premises who intend to operate up to midnight
- premises which are not alcohol led and only operate during the day time economy
- instances where the applicant is relocating their business to anew premises but retaining the same style of business
- conditions which ensure that the premises will operate in a particular manner such as a minimum number of covers or waiter/waitress service to secure a food led operation
- premises which will bring a variety of cultural activities to the area and expand the range of activities on offer for customers
7.23 Examples of factors the licensing authority will not consider as meeting the standard of rebuttal include:
- that the premises will be well managed and run (as all licensed premises should meet this standard)
- that the premises will be constructed to a high quality standard
- that the applicant operates similar premises elsewhere, such as in another licensing authority area, without complaint
7.24 Any relevant representations submitted in support of an application will be taken into consideration by the council when making its determination.
Representations based on cumulative impact outside cumulative impact areas
7.25 In cases where either responsible authorities or other people seek to establish that an application should be refused on the grounds that it would result in or further contribute to a cumulative impact in an area not already designated as such, which would undermine one or more of the licensing objectives, they will be expected to:
- identify the boundaries of the area from which it is alleged problems are arising
- identify the licensing objective which it is alleged will be undermined
- identify the type of licensable activity alleged to be causing the problem (e.g. sale of alcohol, late night refreshment)
- provide full details and evidence to show the manner and extent to which it is alleged that the licensing objectives are being, or at risk of being, undermined in the area
- provide evidence to show that the undermining of the objective is caused by the patrons of licensed premises in the area
7.26 The reason for this is to ensure that there is an evidential basis for the licensing sub-committee to reach a decision and in the case of a representation submitted by persons other than responsible authorities, their objections are neither frivolous nor vexatious.