Hadrian's Tipi team promise to keep the noise down as plans approved for centre piece of Sunderland Christmas village

Plans to bring the pop-up event back to Sunderland to help Wearside celebrate Christmas have been approved by councillors, but with provisos.

The application from Danieli Holdings, which runs the Newcastle shipping container village STACK, will see the Tipi land on the former Crowtree Leisure Centre site.

Features include a bar and food area, a grill and firepits and on-site toilet facilities, with the tent linked up to containers to form a main bar area and covered marquee seating.

Mobile traders, live music performances and background music are also planned.

During consultation, three objections were lodged with the council, including two from people living in Solar House, about increases in litter, loss of privacy and noise.

At a meeting to decide the application at Sunderland Civic Centre on Monday October 28, council planning officers and Hadrian’s Tipi bosses gave assurances noise would be kept in check.

Following discussions with the applicant, the council’s environmental health team previously set out conditions over noise and other sounds from the site.

This includes live singers performing before 11pm and any other music noise beyond that to be inaudible from the nearest home.

‘Streets in the sky’

Millfield ward councillor, Julia Potts, said residents suffered from noise at last year’s event and called for more regular checks at residential locations.

Rose Thompson, chairperson of the Sunderland City Centre Residents Association, also spoke on behalf of residents of Astral House and Solar House at the meeting.

“We live in city centre flats and we expect noise but when it can be controlled we would like to have that facility,” she said.

“If you look where the Tipi is going to be this year it’s 30 steps away from the flats, that’s very very close.

“Whoever is going to put the Tipi there please remember there are 91 flats in each tower block, we’re streets in the sky, please consider us.”

Neill Winch, of Danieli Holdings, said the firm was a “responsible operator” with acoustic acts chosen this year, as opposed to full bands.

Planning officers also stressed that under conditions, noise breaches could be enforced if necessary.

Following debate, the council’s area development control sub-committee approved permission for Hadrian’s Tipi to open between November 4 2019 and January 9 2020.

According to planning documents, the Tipi village can open on a daily basis from 8am-1am and will create 30 full-time and 60 part-time jobs.

According to a noise management plan provided by the applicant, staff and traders will receive training around noise prevention.

At the meeting, sub-committee chairman, Coun Phil Tye, called for extra assurances that noise would be kept to reasonable levels.

This includes the operator installing a ‘noise limiter’ which would automatically cut power to the stage if amplified music exceeds agreed levels.

The details are set to be fleshed out by the council and operator before the event opens to the public.