Reading Pride’s plan to double its capacity to almost 10,000 people is in doubt after police objected to its ‘vague and insufficient’ application.

The parade was formed in 2003 to represent and support the local LGBT+ community and takes place on August 31 this year on Kings Meadow.

Reading Borough Council’s (RBC) licensing committee will meet on April 4 to determine whether to allow the festival to expand its capacity from 5,000 to 9,999, after the police called for the request to be refused.

Thames Valley Police (TVP) officer Declan Smyth said: “The document submitted is vague and lacking in sufficient detail so as to allow us to consider if the applicant and his security provider are in a position to be proactive and preventative.

“We would expect that the applicant submit information detailing, with certainty, what policies, security plans and security numbers would be in place for an event of this scale.

“Currently we can only assume that this has been generically provided from previous events.

“This is a major concern as the application is for 9,999 people.

“The application it its current format and without further scrutiny is likely to undermine the licensing objectives.”

The event organisers have already agreed to a series of conditions requested by the council including noise control and submitting certain plans six months in advance of the event.

Reading Borough Council’s licensing and environmental protection & nuisance  (EPN) teams also opposed the application but have since withdrawn their objections after conditions were agreed.

EPN initially opposed the application due concern that noise control conditions would not prevent public nuisance.

Reading Pride accepted conditions proposed by officer Rebecca Moon, including maximum noise levels, directing stages and sound systems away from residential premises and employing a designated sound manager.

The council’s licensing team withdrew its objection after the event organiser accepted a further nine conditions, including submitting event management  plans 28 days before the start of the festival and providing key documents such as a child protection plan and noise management plan six months before the event.

The event organisers say up to 15,000 people visit the festival throughout the day as well as up to 1500+ participating in the Parade.