Legal Battle Threatens Brockwell Park Festivals
The future of major music festivals in Brockwell Park hangs in the balance as Lambeth Council prepares to challenge a High Court decision that could reshape how events are permitted in the popular South London green space. The legal dispute centres on whether the council lawfully authorised this year's festival programme following a court ruling against their initial approach.
Campaigners from Protect Brockwell Park allege that Lambeth Council allowed events to proceed "unlawfully" just days after losing the legal challenge in Spring. The council now seeks to overturn Mr Justice Mould's ruling that their decision to grant a temporary change of use certificate was "irrational" through a Court of Appeal hearing scheduled for December.
Thousands of Tickets Sold Despite Uncertainty
Meanwhile, preparations for Brockwell Live 2026 continue at full pace, with tens of thousands of music fans already committing to next summer's events. Mighty Hoopla sold 35,000 tickets in just thirty minutes following the announcement that Lily Allen would headline Saturday, May 30th. Weekend passes have also sold out, demonstrating significant public demand for the festival programme.
A Brockwell Live spokesman confirmed that "preparations for Brockwell Live 2026 are well underway and include the routine process of securing all necessary permissions." The event organisers maintain that the High Court ruling addressed "a specific point of law" and doesn't affect their use of the park, though campaigners strongly dispute this interpretation.
Campaigners Demand Planning Scrutiny
Protect Brockwell Park representatives argue that the council disregarded the court's judgment by issuing a second certificate that repeated the same legal error. A spokesman for the campaign group stated: "The events went ahead unlawfully, in clear defiance of the judgment" and called for the council to "apply for full planning permission so that any future events can proceed lawfully."
The original case was brought by activist Rebekah Shaman, who successfully challenged the council's use of permitted development rights to avoid planning scrutiny for major commercial events. Under these rules, temporary change of use is allowed for only 28 days each calendar year, but the judge found parts of the park would be used as event space for longer periods.
Lambeth Council has maintained a cautious public stance, with a spokesperson noting: "An Appeal Court hearing is set for December, and we will comment in due course." They emphasised that ticket sales for next May remain subject to all necessary permissions being secured.
The outcome of December's appeal will determine whether Brockwell Park can continue hosting its popular festival programme, which includes Mighty Hoopla, Wide Awake, Field Day, City Splash and the Lambeth Country Show, attracting hundreds of thousands of visitors annually to Herne Hill.
