PLANS to hold a two day outdoor concert in Wilmslow have incensed residents living near the proposed venue.
SJM Concerts is seeking permission to stage live music events on the Jim Evison playing fields on Altrincham Road.
The proposal could see up to 25,000 people on the site each day.
If approved, the first gig is expected to take place on Saturday, July 7 and Sunday, July 8, with acts performing between 4pm and 10.30pm.
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Tatton MP Esther McVey is urging Cheshire East Council to re-open its consultation to allow more people to have their say.
The original consultation ran across the festive period and with many only now finding out about the event, their views will go unheard.
Ms McVey said: “Whether or not you are supportive of such a significantly sized event, it is important that people who are local to the site are aware of it so that they can express an opinion either way.
“People need to know and be allowed to have their say and many were unaware of the consultation as it was conducted over the festive period.
"The right thing to do would be to allow residents to contribute and for the council to take those views into account before a decision is made.
“I am now hearing from people who have written to the council but are being told because the consultation is closed their views will not be considered.”
Manchester-based SJM Limited has applied for a premises licence to hold a number of activities, including films, live music, recorded music and dance performance in Wilmslow.
The company is seeking a three month licence from May to August, with provisional dates for the concert being in early July.
The application states that sound checks would take place from 10am each day of the weekend gig.
The playing fields off Altrincham Road are used by sports clubs and is the home of Wilmslow Town Football Club.
Some residents have vented their anger on social media.
One man posted: “This is not a good idea. Altrincham Road is far too busy.”
A woman added: “I dread the noise.”
Others welcomed the increased income the venture could attract to the town’s hospitality businesses.
One resident said: “Sounds great. It’s only two nights and it might be fun.”
Ms McVey responded as part of the consultation, setting out her concerns but is getting increasing numbers of residents contacting her, expressing their fears over noise levels and that they were unaware of the proposals.
Ms McVey said: “The issue is not whether a large commercial two day music event should happen in Wilmslow but whether that is the right location given it is on a main arterial road into the town and the congestion it would cause.
“There is also the issue of parking and the potential to have up to 10,000 cars wanting to park to access the event, along with safety concerns that if for any reason the event needed to be evacuated, people would be pushed out onto the road.”
Ms McVey will be passing on all concerns raised with her to Cheshire East Council.
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