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If you’ve bought a ticket to a festival in Brockwell Park this summer, you might be wondering what’s going on.
Last week campaign group Protect Brockwell Park (PBP) won its High Court case against Lambeth Council. PBP, fronted by campaigner and local resident Rebekah Shaman, took Lambeth to court on the basis that the events – which include Mighty Hoopla, Field Day and Wide Awake – were unlawful because they didn’t have the correct planning permission. The judge ruled in Shaman’s favour, putting the future status of the festivals up in the air.
Now the festival organisers have said that events in the park will go ahead this summer, despite the High Court ruling. In a statement, the Brockwell Live said: ‘Brockwell Live can confirm that all events in the series will go ahead as planned. Friday’s High Court ruling dealt with a particular point of law and whether an administrative process had been carried out correctly.
‘We wish to make it clear that no event will be cancelled as a result of the High Court’s decision. We take our stewardship of Brockwell Park seriously. As we prepare to deliver these much-loved, culturally significant events, we remain fully committed to its care, upkeep, and long-term wellbeing.
‘With setup nearly complete, we look forward to opening the gates and welcoming festival goers later this week.’
The anti-festival campaigners built their case on the grounds that Brockwell Live’s festivals go on for longer than the agreed period for temporary planning permission: 28 days. Because of the time it takes to construct the festival site, and walls that are erected in the park surrounding the site, it was claimed that Brockwell Live was actually using the park for as many as 37 days.
After the court ruling, Shaman’s lawyers wrote to the council to confirm that the events were cancelled. ‘It follows that not only do the Brockwell Live events not have planning permission, but permission cannot be obtained until after they are concluded,’ the letter read. ‘As there is no planning permission for the Brockwell Live event, the event has to be cancelled.’
However, Lambeth Council released a statement today (May 19) that said that the festival organisers had applied for a new certificate of lawfulness. The council said: ‘Summer Events Limited has applied to Lambeth Council for a new certificate of lawfulness, for 24 days, following the High Court ruling last week on the previous certificate.
‘The council is urgently considering that application. That consideration does not stop the events proceeding.’
Which festivals are held in Brockwell Park?
A total of seven festivals are scheduled to be held in the south London park this summer, which include kid-friendly event Brockwell Bounce, and free community festival the Lambeth Country Show. Here’s what they are:
- Wide Awake
- Field Day
- Cross The Tracks
- City Splash
- Brockwell Bounce
- Mighty Hoopla
- Lambeth Country Show
The best music festivals in London for 2025.
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