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Licensing Policy statement

Statement of Licensing Policy

The council's current statement of licensing policy explains how the Licensing Authority will exercise its licensing functions under the Licensing Act 2003.

Licensing Objectives

Central to the statement of licensing policy is the promotion of the four key licensing objectives, as set out in section 4 to the Act, which are:

  • the prevention of crime and disorder
  • public safety
  • prevention of public nuisance, and
  • the protection of children from harm

In carrying out its licensing functions, the council is obliged to have regard to these objectives, its Statement of Licensing Policy and the statutory guidance issued by the Home Office under section 182 of the Act and revised from time to time.

Duration and Review

Since April 2012, the legislation has provided for statements of licensing policy to remain in place for a five-year period, but they may be reviewed and modified during that period. The original 2005 policy was reviewed in 2008, in May 2009 (when a Cumulative Impact Policy (CIP) was applied to three discrete areas of the city), in 2011 and again in 2016.  The core of the statement of licensing policy (SLP) gives guidance as to how the council will deal with applications under the Licensing Act 2003, and reflects the legislative framework.

Cumulative Impact Policy (CIP)

Cumulative Impact Policy (CIP)

Southampton City council conducted a Cumulative Impact Assessment (CIA) during 2023 in line with Section 5A of the Licensing 2003. This recommended retaining the current stress areas as identified in the CIP with the addition of adding Charlotte Place to the Bevois Valley stress area and adding Oxford Street as a new stress area. This was adopted by the Licensing Committee at their meeting on 31st January 2024.

This has the effect of replacing the “Stress Areas” section of the SLP at paras 6.5 to 6.8. The CIA and associated documents are below. Southampton now has four stress areas the CIP applies to. They are:-

  • London Road/Bedford Place
  • Above Bar Street
  • Bevois Valley and Charlotte Place
  • Oxford Street

The effect on applications within the stress areas is that additional licensed premises or significant variation of hours of operating are unlikely to be permitted unless the applicant can demonstrate to the council, as Licensing Authority, that the intended changes will not have an adverse impact on the area. However, please note that the CIP will only engage where a valid representation has been made by a Responsible Authority or other person - in the absence of such a representation the CIP will not affect an application.

Comments

Contact us about licensing policy if you have any comment on the statement of licensing policy, the council would be pleased to hear from you. It would be appreciated if you were to clearly indicate that your communication relates to the Licensing Act 2003 statement of licensing policy.

Please do not use the Licensing Policy email address to make comment or representations in relation on current applications - this should be addressed to the Licensing Team.

Licensing Policy Statement and Cumulative Impact Policy

Document Type Size
Licensing Policy Statement 2021-2026pdf1.1 MB