Islington Tribune - News: The boss is too loud for stadium neighbours

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Islington Tribune - by PETER GRUNER
Published: 4 January 2008

The Rev Stephen Coles

The Boss is too loud for stadium neighbours

TWO Bruce Springsteen concerts planned for the Emirates stadium this summer will be too noisy for residents living nearby, a vicar has warned.
A row erupted this week after Arsenal announced a second concert starring the American rock star would be staged on Saturday, May 31. The 60,000-capacity concert the previous day has already sold out.
Neighbours claim there has been little consultation with them and insufficient testing of the noise expected from concerts.
The Rev Stephen Coles, vicar of St Thomas’s Church in Finsbury Park, said: “They should have tested sound levels before agreeing to these concerts. It is very unfair on residents living around the stadium who will have to put up with the noise.”
Part of the planning consent for the new stadium was that Arsenal should be allowed to stage three concerts a year.
Mr Coles added: “It would now seem Arsenal are asking that these can be held on any day of the year between 10am and 10.30pm. I have no faith that a concert will be controlled to the level that it will only be audible within the stadium itself, but if it is not then it is a public nuisance and should be prevented.
“In the summer months windows are open and people sit out of doors into the evenings and at weekends. We won’t be able to do this comfortably.”
He is supported by Green councillor Katie Dawson, a keen Springsteen fan who has a ticket for the first concert. She said: “Islington Council do everything back to front. The obvious thing to do was to have one concert and see how it goes in terms of noise.
“This is not Wembley – this is Islington. This is a highly residential area and it is bonkers to put on concerts without first ensuring the noise will not disturb residents nearby.”
In a letter to 3,000 residents and businesses this week, Keith Edelman, managing director of Arsenal FC, said: “There is no intention for there to be an unlimited number of concerts. We are only applying for the number allowed for within the approved planning permission.
“We are working closely with an independent sound consultant and Islington’s noise team to ensure the levels set out in the planning permission will not be exceeded during concerts. The timings of these concerts are also restricted to finish no later than 11.30pm on any occasion.”

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