CONTROVERSIAL plans to sell alcohol at a campsite during the Olympics have been given the go-ahead despite widespread opposition from residents.

A council licensing panel approved a tweaked version of the plans for the three-week long campground in Low Hall Sports Ground in Walthamstow at a meeting tonight.

Big Events Camping Ltd (BEC) had its initial proposals blocked by the authority in April, but was granted permission following a series of concessions.

Dismayed families living near the site argued there was little substantial change in the plans, but councillors did not agree.

The panel gave permission for alcohol sales, dancing and recorded music between 1pm and 10pm seven days a week.

The licence was rubber stamped after BEC pledged to drop plans for "festival-style" events, live music, a big screen and day tickets for the site.

The company also agreed to reduce the capacity of the licensed area of the campsite from 10,000 to 1,000, but the council panel only gave permission for a maximum of 850 people in the bar area.

However residents pointed out that there were no restrictions on the amount of alcohol people could take to their tents, and that the total capacity of the campsite could be as high as 4,000 people.

More than 30 residents attended the meeting to express their concerns about possible crime, noise and disruption from the campsite.

Many said they were angry at the council's failure to consult households about the plans.

BEC has always insisted the campsite will be safe and family-friendly.

They argued that alcohol sales within the campsite would allow staff to "control" revellers.

They claimed that campers would otherwise go to off-licences or local pubs and disturb residents if booze was not easily available at the site.

Last year the council secretly signed a contract to lease the land to the firm, hoping that a share of the profits from the deal would help pay the estimated £1.5million bill for its 'Big 6' series of events to celebrate the Olympics.

During the meeting BEC director Denis Geary revealed that council leader Cllr Chris Robbins had ordered his firm not to say anything to the public about the secret plans.

Mr Geary was told by the council that it would tell residents on November 1 2011, although this was not done until January 2012.

The company also revealed during the meeting that it had sold just 800 tickets, but that it expected to sell more.

One resident also said police had told her that just one officer will patrol the area during the Olympic Games.

There will be no security staff in nearby streets but organisers said they were convinced there would not be any trouble.

The panel that approved the plans were a different set of councillors than those who rejected the previous proposals. They were Labour's Cllr Kieran Falconer (chair), Liberal Democrat Farooq Qureshi and Conservative Cllr Darshan Sunger.

Announcing the decision, an apologetic-sounding Cllr Falconer said: "The committee weren't very happy about the lack of engagement with residents and that is very disappointing.

"But unfortunately we have approved the granting of the application".

Residents said they were outraged by the decision and vowed to fight on.

Ian Thompson, 45, of nearby Clacton Road, said he feared major disruption and criticised the council's complete lack of consultation with households.

He said: "Residents have not been adequately informed or involved throughout this process - it has all been done in a very opaque way.

"Even the campsite organisers said they were trying to engage with residents but were encouraged not to by the council and told to keep quiet."

Fellow resident Simon Aronson, 34, added: "Having alcohol sales finish at 10pm is not going to stop campers going out into the streets disturbing residents.

"We're very disappointed."

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