Noise and traffic complaints over new marquee - but Milton Keynes Hindu Association says it's working to address concerns

The marquee, which has capacity for up to 500 people, is located on Ferry Meadows Close next to the charity’s premises.

Residents living nearby – who opposed the application when it was submitted last year – claim not enough has been done to address their concerns about noise and heavy traffic around the facility.

But MKHA says it has “promptly and at significant cost” taken steps to mitigate the impact on residents.

John Odell, who lives in Broughton, adjacent to the marquee, says he believes it should not have been installed there, as it is situated within an over-55s residential area.

“I came here five years ago, to retire, and for peace and quiet, but the noise has got worse and worse since the marquee was put up,” he said.

“We have just had a ten-day festival, mostly in the evenings, and the music was amplified. I have been able to hear it sat in my lounge, on the opposite side of the house to the marquee, over the top of the television. I could hear it quite clearly in the kitchen.

“There was a seven-day event at the marquee in September and several other things as well. In the summer, there were times when I was sat out in the garden, and I had to come inside because the noise was just so loud.”

Mr Odell also claimed traffic was a big issue when functions and events took place in the marquee.

“Traffic is a problem, because there is only one way in and one way out,” he said. “When the car park is full people park inconsiderately on the street.

“I went out to the corner of the road during the last festival and the MKHA had to stop people coming down the road to park.”

The MKHA is a charity which aims to preserve and promote Hindu culture.

It told the Citizen that it had great respect for elders and neighbours, and provided examples of measures it had put in place to try and address residents’ concerns.

“Throughout the planning and construction of our new venue, we have liaised with and fully co-operated with our neighbouring residents,” the MKHA said.

“This has included inviting them for continued dialogue and regular residents’ meetings with local councillors and Milton Keynes City Council.

“As a result of the above, MKHA have promptly and at significant cost to the charity put in place several measures to mitigate the impact on the residents of their stated concerns relating to sound and traffic.

“In relation to loud music, our building has been installed with a sound monitor which has been calibrated in collaboration with MK Council and independent sound experts, MKHA has installed sound curtains to dampen and mitigate the sound, sound insulation has been adopted and installed, we have installed a PA system which distributes the sound evenly internally thus to minimise the sound externally, and during events, we monitor the sound both internally and externally with a decibel meter.

“MK Council have visited several times, during our functions to witness the controls, measures and preventative mitigation that MKHA have taken.

“MKHA has ensured that it has continually complied with and therefore remained with the legally prescribed and permitted sound thresholds and will continue to do so at all times.

“Regarding traffic concerns, MKHA ensures that traffic is marshalled during our events to guide and advise motorists, we have increased parking facilities on premises grounds by 30 per cent to manage, control and cope with traffic and parking issues, we have worked with other local venues in Milton Keynes to provide additional parking facilities, provided signage for residents to ensure MKHA attendees do not park in resident bays, at our expense, and encouraged our community to car-share.”