Fetsival organisers will have to wait nearly a month to find out if they can increase their crowd capacity to 15,000.

The Brownstock Festival in Stow Maries is currently licensed to cater for 5,999 people but organisers hope to increase this to 9,999 next year and 14,999 in 2016.

Maldon District Council was expected to make a decision today but adjourned the hearing after receiving an amended operating schedule yesterday.

Henry Bass, chair of the licensing sub-committee meeting, said it was important that members had time to review the amended schedule and other documents, such as the event safety management plan.

He also asked for a basic outline of confidential issues, such as security provisions, “so we can proceed fully and the public can see the broad outline of the issues,” before making a decision.

Mr Bass said: “It’s regrettable it wasn’t supplied before the consultation period.”

Ian Seeley, a solicitor who spoke on behalf of residents objecting to the application, said: “The concern of residents is that what was put before you yesterday amounts to some 70 conditions that didn’t form part of the original application.

“It’s a completely different application.”

But Juan Lopez, who spoke on behalf of Brownstock UK Ltd, said: “We are just bringing forward information that was already discussed with the responsible authorities.

“It’s not a new application at all.”

The hearing has been adjourned until June 27.