BOURNEMOUTH'S open-air seafront arena is set to host up to 20 late-night corporate events a year, provided the noise levels are strictly controlled.

Councillors on the licensing committee approved plans that will see the Pier Approach events space hired out to national and international companies for corporate events.

Now the licensing application has been approved, the first two events are set to take place next week. Invited guests will be able to party until 1am under the terms of the licence, despite an objection by the council's environmental health department.

But chair Cllr Andrew Morgan warned they could rescind permission if noise proved a problem. "We left them in no doubt that if the first event is not managed properly we will have to look at the whole thing again," he said. "We don't want inconvenience and disturbance caused to residents and visitors."

Jon Weaver, marketing and events manager, said: "What we're trying to do is get as much use of that space as possible. We had had interest from companies who wanted to organise corporate events in that space.

"This is not for open air, open to the public events, it's for closed events that are of a corporate and private nature.

"It's something new, we will see how it works. It obviously generates good revenue for the local authority and it also uses the facility in the evening as well. It's a very good location and we want to make sure we can get a good variety of events there."

Cllr Morgan said one of the conditions imposed on the licence required a noise management plan to be in place before each and every event.

"They originally wanted permission for 10 events, each of which could last up to seven days, which we thought was a bit ambitious." he said.

"They amended the application to a maximum of 20 events per year, which are likely to be during the summer.

"We are competing with the London market now and it's about bringing quality tourism to Bournemouth. But we are absolutely determined to ensure there is no noise and disturbance caused to residents and visitors because of this."