Plans to host a series of festival events in Brockwell Park later this summer have been recommended for approval ahead of a planning meeting next week.
Lambeth Council’s Planning Applications Committee are set to approve of the plans next Tuesday February 24, despite receiving more than three times the amount of objections compared to those in support.
Last year, Summer Events Ltd, the company which runs the Brockwell Live festival series that features events such as Mighty Hoopla and Field Day submitted its first ever planning application, for its 2026 programme.
Summer Events has applied for temporary planning permission so it can use just over a quarter of the park for a maximum of 32 days. The proposed event days would take place between May 9, 2026 and June 9, 2026 and includes days for event set ups, show days, event de-rig and “wet weather buffer days”.
This year, Summer Events has planned five ticketed music and cultural festivals consisting of Field Day, Cross the Tracks, City Splash, and Mighty Hoopla, with the latter lasting for two days. The festivals would take place across two weekends in late May, including the May Bank Holiday. The popular Wide Awake festival is ‘taking a break for 2026’.
It is the first time a planning application has been submitted for Brockwell Live, which previously operated under permitted development rights and is different to obtaining full planning permission, which involves the consultation and views of local residents.
Last year a judge ruled in favour of a group of campaigners who argued Lambeth Council did not have the correct planning permission for previous festivals held in the park and found that parts of it were being used beyond the permitted 28 days.
After the council decided not to appeal that ruling it entered into a “new strategy” with Brockwell Live. The planning application followed, and allows locals to comment on whether the events should take place.
Residents had until December 31, 2025 to comment on the plans for the park, which saw 535 people respond to the proposals. Of these responses, 395 were objections and 127 were supporting statements. The plans also received 7 neutral comments.
Relatedarticles
Local community groups including The Brixton Society, Friends of Brockwell Park, and Protect Brockwell Park have raised several concerns over the current proposals and have also objected to the plans.
The Brixton Society has called out the proposals for being made up “solely of paid commercial music events” with no free or family-focused activities, and that ticket prices are unaffordable for many local residents.
The group also highlighted the loss of the Lambeth Country Show, a popular and free event which has taken place in Brockwell Park since 1974, which last year the council announced would not be taking place in 2026 due to a rise in running costs.
Elsewhere, Friends of Brockwell Park argue the events actually take up around 45 per cent of accessible parkland and 60 per cent of open grassland during peak summer months which restricts public access and enjoyment especially for those who don’t have a private garden.
However, planning officers said the events take up to 26 per cent of the park and have challenged claims of up to 60 per cent loss of grassland as they “do not correspond with the submitted plans”.
But Open Space Society has set out a similar argument to the Friends, claiming that around 50 per cent of open space is lost while the events take place.
According to Open Society, during the event period, surrounding areas also become “effectively unusable” due to disturbance and amplified noise.
The group said previous events have caused “significant and lasting damage to the ground” including waterlogging and rutting, which limit its enjoyment by the public.
Those in support of the plans argue the events provide positive wellbeing outcomes, particularly for younger residents and those who value shared communal experiences in open spaces.
Other supporters said Brockwell Park has historically hosted major events and is suitable for festivals and shows because it’s a large and well-connected urban park.
The events have also been praised bringing people together, contributing to Lambeth’s cultural identity and celebrating diversity, particularly for the LGTBQ+ community.
Planning officers have recommended that the committee grant conditional planning permission for the plans, arguing that the the cultural, social and economic public benefits of the event series carries significant weight and outweighs any heritage harm.
They went on to state that planning permission should be granted because the plans are temporary while acknowledging the role the park has historically played in hosting cultural events.
Lambeth councillors will ultimately decide whether the plans should go ahead during next week’s meeting.
This seems like public consultation and planning law, as well as local democracy, going into reverse. This might be the Council Officers recommendation, but they are not accountable to the local people.