A decision not to allow a new music festival to take place last weekend in Derry was because organisers didn't provide the required paperwork, the council said.
Derry City and Strabane District Council said that "Park Fest" - which was due to take place between August 26-28 - didn't receive a valid entertainment license because a noise management plan was not provided.
It's understood that council officers initially expressed noise concerns to the organisers month ago, citing the surrounding residential area near the Celtic Park stadium on Derry's Lone Moor Road.
Read more: Popular tearoom to close after receiving electricity bill of over £4,000
And despite organisers accusing the council of refusing the license, the local authority said as there was no valid application lodged then there was nothing to refuse.
A spokesperson said: "When Council was first made aware of a proposal to use College Field as the location for the Park Fest Music event, over three days in August, it expressed concerns to the applicant regarding the potential for noise disturbance to local residents, as it was a previously untested site located within a residential area.
"For that reason Council requested that a noise management plan, prepared by a suitably qualified acoustic consultant, be submitted as part of the application for an entertainments licence for the site, to demonstrate that it was suitable for the intended use, as a venue for music events, without causing unreasonable noise disturbance to neighbouring properties.
"As Council had not received any such report, in time to allow proper consideration of its contents before the scheduled event dates, the application was deemed invalid and the applicant advised that it would not be processed further.
"The application was not, therefore, refused as such, a valid application not having been deemed to have been made to enable proper consideration and determination.
"Council would encourage anyone planning to hold an outdoor musical event to engage with the Licensing and Safety Advisory Group team, at a sufficiently early stage, so that appropriate advice can be provided, relevant to the particular circumstances of the event."
Meanwhile, on social media news of the festival's cancellation caused anger and frustration, with one person sharing online: "The average public doesn't see the red tape and the hoops that promoters and event organisers have to jump through to make these things happen.
"There's JikJika running a tight and successful festival the last number of years, bringing some of the biggest international DJs on the planet to Derry, attracting thousands of people over a three-day period [and they are] refused their dates at the Ebrington site.
"ParkFest - a brand new local festival featuring The Point Inn 30 year anniversary, and a lot of local and upcoming talent, refused an entertainment licence by the Derry City (and Strabane District) Council.
"Parkfest footfall was expected to be on average just under 2,000 people per night over a three-day period and the licence was refused on the grounds of "noise pollution" on a site that was designed for holding 18,500 GAA fans, with the Brandywell stadium yards away holding another 4,000.
"One [of these festivals] had to relocate to Malin Head, Co Donegal. The other had to cancel two weeks out refunding almost 3,000 tickets to locals that were absolutely buzzing for it. Not even an alternative site or venue fit enough to relocate to in the Derry area.
"It's probably mad the number of times major promoters like MCD that hosts the likes of Ed Sheeran, likely looked at Derry as a potential spot to run an event but didn't because of these facts."
READ NEXT:
Kellie Maloney delighted to visit Derry boxing club before headlining Pride event
- Derry restaurants honoured Irish Restaurant Awards 2022
- Castlerock: Woman rescued after falling from a cliff near Northern Ireland beauty spot
To get the latest breaking news from Co Derry straight to your inbox, sign up to our free newsletter.
