Licensing Act 2003

Determination of application E+W

4 (1) This paragraph applies where an application is made in accordance with paragraph 2 and the applicant complies with paragraph 3(1). E+W

(2) Subject to sub-paragraphs (3) and (5), the relevant licensing authority must grant the application.

(3) Where a notice is given under paragraph 3(2) or (3) in respect of an existing licence (and not withdrawn), the authority must—

(a) hold a hearing to consider it, unless the authority, the applicant and the chief officer of police who gave the notice agree that a hearing is unnecessary, and

(b) having regard to the notice—

(i) in a case where the application relates only to that licence, reject the application, and

(ii) in any other case, reject the application to the extent that it relates to that licence,

if it considers it necessary for the promotion of the crime prevention objective to do so.

(4) If the relevant licensing authority fails to determine the application within the period of two months beginning with the day on which it received it, then, subject to sub-paragraph (5), the application is to be treated as granted by the authority under this paragraph.

(5) An application must not be granted (and is not to be treated as granted under sub-paragraph (4))—

(a) if the relevant existing licence has or, if there is more than one, all the relevant existing licences have ceased to be held by the applicant before the relevant time, or

(b) where there is more than one relevant existing licence (but paragraph (a) does not apply), to the extent that the application relates to an existing licence which has ceased to be held by the applicant before the relevant time.

(6) For the purposes of sub-paragraph (5)—

(a) where, for the purposes of paragraph 2(3)(b) a person has consented to an application being made in respect of a relevant existing licence, sub-paragraph (5)(a) and (b) applies in relation to that licence as if the reference to the applicant were a reference to—

(i) that person, or

(ii) any other person to whom the existing licence has been transferred and who has given his consent for the purposes of this paragraph, and

(b) “the relevant time” is the time of the determination of the application or, in a case within sub-paragraph (4), the end of the period mentioned in that sub-paragraph.

(7) Section 10 applies as if the relevant licensing authority’s functions under sub-paragraph (3) were included in the list of functions in subsection (4) of that section (functions which cannot be delegated to an officer of the licensing authority).