The organisers of Boardmasters have been allowed to increase sound levels and add a fourth day of live music despite opposition from neighbouring residents and local councillors.

The organisers of Cornwall’s largest festival, which runs from Wednesday, August 5, to Sunday, August 9 this year, applied for a renewed premises licence, which included a bid to increase decibel levels as well as adding Thursday to the run of live music days, which have traditionally taken place from Friday to Sunday.

The application was brought before a Cornwall Council licensing committee on Wednesday, March 4 due to six objections against the festival raising decibel levels from 60 to 65 until 11pm on Thursday to Sunday and from 50 to 55 between 11pm and 1am on the same days.

Festival director Rob Spring said the changes were needed to ensure the “customer experience is at levels expected of major international festivals, without creating a nuisance for neighbours.”

In a letter to those who had objected, Mr Spring explained: “Within the current conditions there is a metaphorical cliff edge at 11pm where sound levels onsite go from full show volume to much lower, meaning that levels have to be changed in the middle of some of our headline sets on some of the secondary stages.

“This has led to complaints from customers and artists alike, and as a result has led to difficulties in booking appropriate level artists for these slots.”

Matthew Phipps, a solicitor representing Boardmasters, told the licensing meeting: “We are respectful of the fact that some residents fear change, but change and anxiety is not evidence that the licensing objectives are going to be undermined.” He added there would be off-site monitoring of noise levels at multiple locations.

A number of speakers aired their concerns about the increase in sound levels.

They included representatives of Newquay Town Council, Colan parish councillor John Fitter and Cllr Rowland O’Connor, who represents the area at Cornwall Council, and Abby and Richard Paull, of neighbouring 27-acre Treloy Touring Park.

Mrs Paull said that guests staying at the holiday park can be affected by “night-time disturbance” from Boardmasters, which is half a field away from the border of their business.

The committee approved the premises licence with a number of conditions.

These included ensuring any music between 1am and 4am on Thursdays to Saturdays, and on Sundays from 11.45pm to 4am, should not be readily audible at monitoring locations, which will be chosen following consultation.

The festival organisers also have to provide records of their monitoring of the noise at all agreed points on request of the council’s public protection department.

Devon and Cornwall Police suggested an additional condition that CCTV is installed on the festival site and in the campsite area, which has been agreed by Boardmasters.

The committee noted Boardmasters’ comprehensive event management plan, public engagement and that the council had received very few complaints in relation to the festival in the last three years.

Adding Thursday as a live music day will start in 2027.