Away Resorts got everything it asked for at Sandy Balls, Godshill: a poolside bar until 10pm and outdoor films four nights a week, with no season limit.
Sandy Balls can now sell alcohol at its outdoor pool until 10pm and show outdoor films four nights a week, all year round. New Forest District Council’s Licensing Sub-Committee granted the variation in full on 25 August. It added no conditions of its own.
The draft minutes of the hearing were published on 1 September. Godshill Parish Council and a resident living next to the park had objected. We reported the application before the hearing.
What changes at Sandy Balls
| Before | Now granted | |
|---|---|---|
| Alcohol at the outdoor pool | No bar | Mobile bar, on-sales 10am to 10pm every day |
| Outdoor films | Twice a week, 5pm to 11pm | Four times a week, 5pm to 11pm |
| Film season | 1 March to 30 September only | No seasonal limit |
| Indoor films | 5pm to 11pm | 10am to 11pm |
| Annex 2 condition capping outdoor films | In force | Deleted |
The finishing time for films stays at 11pm. What changes is how often, how early and how much of the year.
Why councillors said yes
The three-member sub-committee was chaired by Cllr Steve Clarke, with Cllrs Philip Dowd and John Sleep. Its written reasons turn on one point: there was not enough evidence about the changes actually applied for.
- No responsible authority objected. The police, the fire service and the council’s own Environmental Health team made no comment and suggested no changes.
- Environmental Health has investigated 9 complaints since 2019, with one more still under investigation. It has never found a statutory nuisance.
- Only two of those complaints were about the outdoor cinema, in 2019 and 2020. There have been none about the cinema since.
- Most of the objections were about amplified music, which was not part of the application.
- The law presumes in favour of granting unless there is verifiable evidence that the licensing objectives would be undermined. The minutes say none was received.
The minutes conclude that “what little relevant evidence had been presented comprised insufficient grounds to refuse the Application.”
The noise residents complain about was not on the table
This is the part of the hearing most Godshill readers will want to understand. The chairman told objectors “several times” that amplified music was not relevant.
The council’s legal adviser explained why. Live and recorded music for audiences under 500 is largely deregulated, and in many cases needs no licence between 8am and 11pm. Away Resorts’ representative put the park’s capacity at about 1,000 people. He said far fewer than 500 would be at any one activity, and that an outdoor film was unlikely to draw more than 100.
So a licensing hearing could only weigh the bar and the films. Music at the park is a matter for Environmental Health under separate law.
What each side told the hearing
Away Resorts said the application was about flexibility at peak times. Its representative said:
- the pool would still normally close at 6pm
- there would not be four films a week for 52 weeks a year
- guests can already carry drinks to the pool, and a bar there would add supervision
- Sandy Balls is the only Away Resorts park in the country limited on outdoor film nights
- none of the changes was meant to bring in more guests
He estimated the park’s decibel limit at 84dB. He also said a monitor alone could not properly judge the effect on neighbours.
Godshill Parish Council, represented by its chairman Cllr Richard Fell, argued the opposite. It said:
- Godshill sits inside the National Park’s tranquillity mapping area
- one resident had made 6 noise complaints to the park in less than a month
- residents who complained to Environmental Health had heard nothing for over a month, so nobody could measure the noise as it happened
- a 10pm bar would add talking, activity and light near homes, on and off the site
- the council should look at the total of outdoor activity, not this application alone
Cllr Fell said in summing up that he was frustrated the cumulative impact could not be considered.
Two things that were kept out
A third objection letter was never admitted. The council’s licensing manager said only two representations had arrived within the consultation period. The objectors gave details of when a third had been sent, but the council had no record of it. Away Resorts refused consent for it to be considered late.
Third-party advice on noise levels that an objector tried to introduce was also excluded, because it was new evidence that had not been in the agenda pack.
The noise management plan
An objector said she had been refused a copy of the park’s noise management plan, even though a member of staff had offered to share it. Away Resorts’ representative said there was no legal duty to disclose it, but that if it had been offered it could be provided. The sub-committee’s reasons say it “would welcome this”.
What it means for you
If you live in Godshill, Godshill Wood or Newgrounds, expect up to four outdoor film nights a week at the park, in any month, finishing at 11pm. The poolside bar can serve until 10pm, though the park says that will mostly be in peak season.
If you want the noise management plan, ask the park for it. Its representative agreed at the hearing that it could be shared, and the council has said on the record that it would welcome that.
If noise is disturbing you, report it to the district council’s Environmental Health team as it happens, and keep your own record of dates and times. The parish council’s point about slow responses was referred back: the sub-committee suggested it take up complaint procedures with Environmental Health directly.
If you have evidence the licence is being breached, anyone can ask the council’s licensing service for a review at any time. The chairman closed the hearing by saying so. A review needs evidence, not concern.
An appeal is a narrower route. Only Away Resorts and the two parties who made relevant representations can appeal, to the Magistrates’ Court, within 21 days of being notified of the decision. With a hearing on 25 August, that window closes in mid-September. The decision stands unless and until a court overturns it.
Licensing is separate from planning. For development in and around the park, see our New Forest planning news page.
Frequently asked questions
Was the Sandy Balls licence variation granted?
Yes, in full. On 25 August 2026 the Licensing Sub-Committee granted a mobile bar at the outdoor pool selling alcohol from 10am to 10pm daily, four outdoor film nights a week instead of two, indoor films from 10am to 11pm, and the removal of the limit on the film season.
Were any conditions added?
No. The minutes record the application “granted on the terms and conditions applied for”. The condition capping outdoor films was deleted.
Why was it not refused?
No responsible authority objected. Environmental Health had found no statutory nuisance in 9 complaints since 2019, and only two complaints, the last in 2020, concerned the outdoor cinema. Most objections were about amplified music, which was outside the application.
Can the decision be challenged?
The applicant and those who made relevant representations can appeal to the Magistrates’ Court within 21 days of notification. Separately, anyone with evidence of a breach can ask the council to review the licence at any time.
Sources
- New Forest District Council, Licensing Sub-Committee, 25 August 2026, draft printed minutes, for the decision, the reasons, the members present, the evidence heard and the exclusion of the late representation and the third-party noise advice.
- Licensing Sub-Committee meeting page, 25 August 2026, for the agenda pack and appendices.
- Officer report to the sub-committee, for the right of appeal and the nine complaints recorded by Environmental Health.
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