Number and range of cumulative impact policies on the increase, research finds

The number of licensing authorities to have adopted a Cumulative Impact Policy in their area has risen by 12% to 93 since April 2010, research by law firm Poppleston Allen has revealed.

The survey also found that since 1 April last year:

• 11 authorities had adopted a policy for the first time, with just one removing it;
• 25 new Cumulative Impact Areas had been created;
• There are 158 designated Cumulative Impact Areas in England & Wales, up 18%;
• Some licensing authorities have more than one Cumulative Impact Area;
• 15 licensing authorities had expanded the geographical area of a Cumulative Impact Policy, with only two narrowing them;
• There is a large concentration of 40 Cumulative Impact Areas in Greater London, 25% of the total for England & Wales.

“The research highlights that more and more licensing authorities are adopting Cumulative Impact Policies and where Cumulative Impact Policies are in place, they tend to stay, and indeed become stricter,” said Jonathan Smith, managing partner of Poppleston Allen.

Smith reported that there had been mixed reactions to Cumulative Impact Policies among the licensing authorities the firm spoke to.

He also added that the statistics highlighted a growing concern amongst licensing authorities about off-licensed premises. “Interestingly where councils have adopted Cumulative Impact Policies, and tightened them in one way or another, 72% of these policies have been tightened to include off-licences,” Smith said.

Poppleston Allen’s managing partner added: “With the rise in Cumulative Impact Areas across England and Wales, there is a strong suggestion that licensing authorities see Cumulative Impact Policies as an effective and necessary tool in promoting the licensing objectives. This is particularly the case with licensing authorities in Greater London.

“This will not be music to the ears of operators across the country and the survey is yet further indication of the tighter restrictions being placed on operators by licensing authorities, in particular to control and limit the growth of licensed premises in an area.”

The data on Cumulative Impact Policies and Cumulative Impact Areas is part of the same research project that revealed a limited appetite among licensing authorities for late night levies and early morning restriction orders.

Just 10% said they were likely to implement the levies, which are being brought in under the Police Reform & Social Responsibility Act 2011. Fewer than 5% are meanwhile set to introduce EMROs.