PLANS to change the licence for Bournemouth Sevens Festival to allow more people on the site will go before members at Christchurch council.

Members of the licensing sub-committee will be asked to consider the changes to the annual festival at Chapel Gate as a new application, but objections have already been made by community groups.

Hurn Parish Council and West Parley Parish Council have both raised concerns over the proposal for the event, along with other members of the community.

The festival is already allowed under an existing licence, a report to the council says, and members should not treat it as a variation or review.

It adds: "The original licence limited the number of persons permitted to attend the premises to 9,999.

"On November 25, 2013, the licensing sub committee heard and granted an application to increase the capacity of the premises to 14,999.

"The application before members now is to further increase the capacity to 19,999."

In their response, Hurn Parish Council said: "Music levels are to a certain degree governed by crowd noise. We believe that the event already causes public noise nuisance with 15,000 attendees, and with an additional 5,000 that nuisance will be exacerbated further."

The parish council say crime levels - mainly anti-social behaviour - increase during the course of the event, with fears an increased capacity could exacerbate the reported issues.

And they add: "The emphasis of the event has moved from a purely sporting event into a music festival event with a subsidiary sporting event. This has resulted in increasing problems with noise, traffic disruption and anti-social behaviour. The event already causes massive disruption and to local residents with no benefit to the local area or businesses."

West Parley Parish Council also criticised the doubling in size of the event over the short time period.

However, despite their concerns over the noise and size, they say: "We are however, very mindful of the fact, the event is enjoyed by a large number of people and is an important fund-raising event for the Bournemouth Sports Club.

"The council clerk and chairman met with the organisers to discuss the concerns of the village and they appeared to understand the effect of ‘cumulative effect’ the event occasions in respect of traffic congestion, noise, the antisocial behaviour of a small minority over whom they had no direct control when they were going to the ground or were leaving."

They suggest a number of measures which would reduce the impact, including monitoring the change after one year.

The committee is asked to consider if the licensee can hold the festival without breaches, rather than if a change in capacity is necessary. Noise, litter and light pollution are all examples of considerations, the report adds.

A decision will be made on January 29.