Have you been to any demo’s recently in Parliament Square like those against austerity and attacks in Gaza? Well if you have you maybe interested in some of the restrictions placed under the Police Reform & Social Responsibility Act 2011 by some lobbying from Parliament’s most famous neighbour, Westminster Abbey.

It has all been put in place over noise nuisance in the vicinity of Parliament but actually its been the Abbey that has lobbied about this issue. Clearly it does not want prays at the Abbey disturbed by public demonstrations etc. As a result you need to have permission from the City of Westminster at a cost of £176 to use a loud hailer after filling in application for amplifed noise equipment authorisation. If it goes up to the sub-licensing sub-committee then you liable for £1,830.33! And be sure to make sure the applicable is made 21 days before intended use. So this what you have to do now to use your democratic right to protest in Central London!

Essentially,Westminster Abbey has got its way on public demos by saying to the world no noise please we are the Abbey. As it lobbied the hardest to have these restrictions placed on Parliament Square. So if you find you have to hold protests in a silence or the sound levels are low, then you know who to point the finger at when you are next in Parliament Square.

So for all those involved in organising demo’s in Central London, this may become a useful reference or first port of call for Noise Nuiscance in the vicinity of Parliament  Best of luck with the bureaucracy.

Footnote:

Finally the coloured map above shows who controls what bits of the Parliament Square and adjacent land and properties under the Police Reform & Social Responsibility Act 2011 for enforcement of noise nuisance in the vicinity of Parliament.

Yellow – GLA responsible authority

Pink –    City of Westminster Council responsible authority

Green – Royal Parks

Grey – Secretary of State