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As 2026 rolls around, we’re already starting to make plans for our summer festivals. There’s a huge Glastonbury-shaped hole in our calendars this year, but not to worry, because London festival season is already promising to be a belter. However, the future of events in Brockwell Park could be thrown into uncertainty for a second year in a row.
In 2025 the group Protect Brockwell Park (PBP) launched a legal campaign to cancel events and festivals in the public park. After a court battle, the events – which included Field Day, Cross the Tracks and Mighty Hoopla – still went ahead. Now the group has submitted an objection to the planning proposal submitted by the festival organisers.
RECOMMENDED: The best music festivals in London to book for 2026.
PBP has sent an objection to Lambeth Council after Summer Events Ltd, which runs Brockwell Live festivals, applied for planning permission to temporarily build in the park over the summer. Brockwell Live has applied to use the park for up to 32 days for four one-day events, to take place at the end of May 2026. This is the first time the events company has had to apply for planning permission to run the festivals, which previously operated under permitted development rights until PBP won its legal challenge in 2025.
Taking what it called a ‘new approach’, Lambeth Council opened a public consultation into the 2026 events at the end of 2025, which closed on December 31. But PBP is continuing to oppose the festivals, and has demanded that the consultation be extended.
According to PBP, the series of festivals in the south London park are not temporary, but ‘part of an obviously prolonged and recurring use with lasting effects beyond the event period’. The group has also argued that the events will do more harm than good for the area.
The group said the planning proposals ‘constitute inappropriate development’ on metropolitan open land, and will cause harm to the ‘openness and the essential parkland character’ of Brockwell Park. The PBP objection also claimed that the land used during the events was up to half of the park during the the 32 day period – more than the 26 percent of land which Brockwell Live has previously said it uses.
This isn’t anything to panic about at this stage though – allowing groups and residents to submit objections is just a standard part of the planning process. A number of locals also submitted responses in support of Brockwell Live’s planning application.
Tickets to Brockwell Live’s festivals went on sale in 2025, with some events, including Mighty Hoopla headlined by Lily Allen, already sold out.
A spokesperson for Brockwell Live said: ‘The routine planning process currently underway helps ensure events like Brockwell Live can take place responsibly and with consideration for Brockwell Park and its neighbours. We’re pleased to see Lambeth residents engaging with the consultation process, sharing both feedback and support for our plans for the 2026 event, which will feature four festivals across two weekends.’
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