Chippenham is to get a new nightclub after SN15 Leisure Ltd won the right to a premises licence in the old Karma building.

It was granted by Wiltshire Council at a hearing yesterday, despite warnings from Wiltshire Police that they did not have confidence in the new management to prevent the crime and disorder associated with Karma, who had their licence revoked in 2011.

Residents of Station Hill and St Mary’s Place who fought the application are anxious about the late night noise, vomiting and urinating of alcohol fuelled revellers returning to their doorsteps.

Philip Kolvin QC, representing the applicant SN15 Leisure Ltd, run by Paul Shayegan, promised they would adopt a Challenge 25 policy and take responsibility for people entering and leaving the building.

He said: “My client has a significant investment at stake, an enormous incentive to ensure the residents aren’t troubled. If they’re suffering the same things as before, that will bring the matter back for review.”

The applicant said £30,000 had been spent on the project since a provisional statement was granted in April 2013, because there was an expectation that if all specified work was carried out a licence would be granted.

He said no one had appealed against the decision, but Wiltshire councillor Chris Caswill, representing the objecting residents, said this was because they were afraid of the financial risk if they lost.

Police argued yesterday that since then there had been a material change in circumstances because the designated premises supervisor (DPS) was no longer going to be Craig Meikle, who had a positive track record in the town.

Guy Ladenburg, barrister representing Wiltshire Police, raised concerns about the capability of James Lever as DPS, whom they considered to be “deeply implicated in the onward plans of the premises”.

Mr Ladenburg said Mr Lever and Tom French, a director of SN15, did not have “the track record of a robust management as you would hope to see in a premises with such a chequered history as this one.

He said: “Tiger Bills at Swindon involved Mr Lever and Mr French. From the first night of opening in August 2012 there were incidents, many linked to customers’ high level of drunkenness... precisely those sorts of difficulties that used to happen at Karma.

“One has to wonder what the sub-committee really thinks about the likelihood of history repeating itself.

"They’ve promised to expend £172,000 but haven’t seen any evidence of a premises of that level of that sound investment being run by Mr Lever.”

Mr Kolvin said they were all men of good character and allegations made against them in representation had not been pursued.

He accused the police of “rooting around for something negative to say about Mr Shayegan” and said he was not involved in any criminality at his brother’s club in Bath, then called Blue Rooms, which saw Mr Shayegan’s nephew imprisoned for dealing cocaine.

Senior environmental health officer Richard Francis said he was now satisfied with noise levels at the Station Hill building.

He said: “This statement gives control to the authority to my satisfaction that there won’t be a public nuisance.”

But all tests carried out by the council so far have been for a sealed building, not taking into account opening a door to come and go into the outdoor smoking area.

Coun Caswill questioned why this had not been done in the seven months since the issue of the outdoor patio arose.

SN15 Leisure Ltd will now enter into a 15 year lease with the landlord, spend £172,000 on a complete refit of the building and employ up to 40 people including the door team, some part-time.

Mr Shayegan, who ran Rumours wine bar in Bath in the 1980s, would not be drawn on a possible opening date.

He said: “We are very happy, happy we have a chance to prove ourselves; we are going to be the best nightlife in town.”

The licence permits music until at least 2am every day of the week and the serving of alcohol until at least 1.30am daily, both with an hour’s extension on Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

It was granted on the condition the patio area is only used after 11pm for the purpose of smoking, by a maximum of 40 people, and with no drinks taken outside.

Coun Caswill successfully argued to add the condition of a minimum of two door staff at the main entrance.