Amusement park in Leysdown gets two more years despite claims of “drill music” disturbing neighbours
The same committee recently rejected plans for a £3 million makeover of the complex
An amusement park owner has hit back at claims his neighbours have to put up with offensive music blasting out of his fairground.
Jimmy G’s amusements in Leysdown, Sheppey, was granted permission to have rides behind his premises for two years in 2021.
The site has been an amusement park or arcade since the 1960s, and has only been run by three families in that time. Jeremy Godden has been the owner since 2007.
An application to extend this for another two years was approved by Swale Borough Council planning committee on Tuesday (August 6).
But councillors raised concerns from neighbours who claim the site is blasting offensive drill music “intrusively loud”.
Cllr Tara Noe (Con), who represents Leysdown, said: “The residents of Seaview Mews have bedroom windows as little as 40 or 50 metres away from the fairground rides.
“When they moved in there were caravans and fields behind their houses.
“The conditions stated in the application and just now have not been adhered to.
“The rides may run until 8 or 9 in the evening, not 7pm.
“Not only is music being played at an intrusively loud volume, ride operators play offensive drill music, residents have to put up with the N-Word in their windows and in their gardens.”
She also slated the fairground lights “shining into people’s bedrooms”, and the site “producing enough noise to drown out conversations.”
“These residents are not unreasonable, their issues with the fairground are specific and clearly stated,” Cllr Noe added.
Chris Francis commented on the application and claimed Jimmy G’s had a “track record of flouting planning and licensing conditions”.
He went on: “I expressed concerns previously about noise, lighting and the generally tatty nature of the site which is not a very attractive outlook from my house.
“I slightly concede that they do try sometimes but only temporarily when the music is turned down for a while when they know they are being monitored.
“There must not be a repeat of what we, as residents, have had to endure by allowing two more years of this.”
Cllr Elliot Jayes (Swale Ind), who ‘called-in’ the application to the committee, explained: “Residents have consistently complained for six or seven years now about this.
“Rightly or wrongly the council approved housing in this busy seaside tourism location, and as such we need to offer relevant protection to the occupants.”
Jeremy Godden dismissed the claims at the meeting and says he has always spoken to his neighbours.
He said: “We have operated amusements for juveniles in the rear space for six years now.
“During this period we have had dialogue from our relatively new neighbours, but all of those direct concerns that have made their way to me have been mitigated through opening hours controls and management of noise monitoring.
“We are in agreement with the proposed conditions which support our aims of delivering fun to our guests.”
The new planning permission includes requirements for noise limiters and suppressors for some rides for the sake of neighbours. They also limited the time from 7am to 10pm.
The same committee recently rejected plans for a £3 million makeover of the complex – set to bring a four-storey soft play area, adventure golf, augmented reality darts and a terrace bar and restaurant.
Mr Godden added: “We will reapply for a large-scale redevelopment of this rear area when we have more time after the school holidays in order to enclose all the attractions to mitigate any further disturbances to the residents located nearby.”
Speaking after the decision, Mr Godden said he was “very pleased,” and added: “We only open that amusement park from 10:45am – 6:45pm.”
He stressed that they have been “working to those conditions already,” and rides already have noise limiters, and “hopefully it restricts the noise in a way residents are happy with.”
“Those neighbours, whose houses have only been there for the past decade, would have known that they were buying houses in a popular tourist destination where the sounds of the funfair and amusement arcades happen,” Mr Godden continued.
Asked if he does blast “offensive drill music” from his rides, he said: “Absolutely not, it’s a children’s amusement park.
“If cars in the car park play drill music they may be misconstruing it.
“Neighbours know how to contact me, they know I’m in Leysdown six days a week – if they’ve got any issues they can always pop down and see me.”
The amusements at the rear are only open at weekends and during school holidays.