A SPORTS club has been granted a licence to hold social events for non-members – despite objections from villagers.

Thirteen residents opposed the proposal from Lepton Highlanders Sports and Social Club in Lepton, saying that they would be disturbed by late-night revellers and music.

But yesterday Kirklees Council’s licensing committee granted the licence and said the sports club could also serve alcohol until 12pm during the week and until 2am on Fridays and Saturdays.

Tim Marriott, committee member of the club on Wakefield Road, assured residents that the committee were not planning on running a “mini Glastonbury”.

He said he was 99% sure that they wouldn’t hold more than “two or three” events a week and that the main focus of the club would remain on sports.

“It’s a community club and we’ve got lots of juniors and ladies and adult teams,” he said.

“We want to be able to be open for the community and put on birthday parties and christening parties if people want to have them at the clubhouse.

“We don’t want to upset the locals – we want to encourage the locals to get involved and come along.”

Mr Marriott said the extra cash generated from social events would go towards developing the club and its facilities.

But locals raised their concerns about the noise and disruption.

Heather Jones, who lives nearby on Wakefield Road, said: “In the past the committee members have been notified that the noise is getting out of hand and it has still continued until 2.30 in the morning with the request to stop being totally ignored.

“Granting the licence would leave these people open to using it whenever they wanted.

“We have to work and we have to get up in the morning. People have a right to family life and peace and quiet.”

Mrs Jones said she and her family would be disrupted by the “excruciating noise” coming from the venue and by people making noise as they left.

Sue Whitcroft, who lives on Far Croft, said she would be able to cope with the noise if the club kept the parties to a minimum but she said if they started to become regular events then it would become “intolerable”.

Clr Adrian Murphy echoed the concerns of the local residents.

But he added: “We realise that the Highlanders do a lot of good for the area and provide a lot of things for the kids.”