Jalsa Salana planning application

Full application details SDNP/19/03709/FUL


"The proposals are to formalise the holding of the Jalsa Salana festival within Oakland Farm as well as securing a number of other improvements to the existing agricultural, storage and kitchen buildings within the site.
 The planning permission can be split into two distinct proposals. The Jalsa Salana will be permitted seasonally for a maximum of 7 weeks of which no more than 4 days will be permitted for the event itself.
The wider permission will be implemented on a permanent basis throughout the site and seek to ensure the Oakland Farm development is appropriately managed within the South Downs National Park.
As discussed above it is proposed to limit the maximum days the Jalsa Salana can operate within the site. This limit will be broken down to the following:
Religious Event – Maximum of 4 days.
Set up and take down – Maximum of 7 weeks (49 days) inclusive of the 4 days to hold the event."

My response:-

Jalsa Salana has been held in this location for more than a decade and is clearly here to stay. While it's true that road traffic volumes during the current three, proposed four, days of the event involves some significant delay to local residents that's all it is, the problems are not insuperable. In my experience, the days of the Jalsa Salana may well be the only days of the year when nobody is speeding through or between the villages.

Ahmadiyya Muslim Association has proved to be an excellent event organiser, has always been considerate of the needs and concerns of its neighbours and has been proactive in improving the management, especially the traffic management, of the event as a whole.

I support this application as I feel that the extra time allowed for set-up and take-down will facilitate reducing the event's impact even further.