Draft Cumulative Impact Assessment 2023 Review

Overview

As an addition to its Statement of Licensing Policy* a Council may produce a Cumulative Impact Assessment (CIA) if it believes there are problems related to the clustering of licences in specific places.

A CIA is a study into the levels of crime, disorder, noise, grime and public nuisance around clusters of licensed premises.

If the Council feels the results of the Cumulative Impact Assessment show that there are problems, it can bring in one or more Cumulative Impact Assessment Areas.

What is a CIA Area? This is a policy that makes gaining a new or extended premises licence more difficult (though not impossible) for applicants if an objection is raised (e.g., from the police, public or other relevant party). 

Currently there are two active Cumulative Impact Assessment Areas in the borough: Hounslow Town Centre and Heston. 

This consultation is on the draft version of the updated 2023 CIA (which was completed in October 2022). A link to a copy of the draft report and associated appendices can be found at the bottom of the page (Please right click on the individual link and select open in a new window). It asks you about the information in the CIA and whether you think the data shows that there are grounds to retain the Cumulative Impact Assessment Areas or not. If you think there are grounds, it asks you whether the existing boundaries remain appropriate.

The consultation also asks about new data shown for what the Council terms the Cranford 'Area of Interest'. Residents in this area report problems with street drinkers and off-licences. We would like your views on this area and the data relating to it, particularly if you live in Cranford. 

We also ask you about other areas in the borough that may have emerging issues linked to the consumption of alcohol from local licensed premises. If you think there are problems, where are they occurring and do you have evidence of them?

*Licensing in this case means the sale of alcohol (from 'on-premises', e.g. pubs, restaurants, clubs, theatres and off-premises e.g. supermarkets and corner shops). It also includes most forms of public entertainment, club premises and late-night refreshment (hot food or drink served any time after 11pm and before 5am). 

Why your views matter

The Council is consulting not only because it is a legal requirement, but because the Cumulative Impact Assessment potentially affects everyone who operates a licensed premises, residents, other businesses and public authorities. Because of this the Council wants to ensure that the widest number of people have been able to comment on it, so changes can be made to the final document that make it more robust and locally responsive.

What happens next

After the consultation closes, all the feedback received will be reviewed by Council officers and a report sent to the Licensing Committee. This will recommend any changes to the draft CIA based on community feedback, so that Councillors may then decide, whether to:

1. Remove one or both existing CIP areas (Hounslow Town Centre / Heston)
2. Retain the two existing CIP areas as they stand
3. Retain the two existing CIP areas but change the boundaries of one or both
4. If retaining one or both existing CIP areas, deciding if the boundaries and the licence types to which the restrictions apply are still appropriate (presently the two CIP areas apply to all licence types)
5. Add Cranford as a CIP area or not (and if so, then to decide on relevant boundaries and premises types).
6. Identify any new 'areas of interest' in the borough for subsequent monitoring and possible consideration as future CIA Areas.

The results of this consultation will be added to this page in due course.