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Local campaigners argue summer festivals are causing long-term damage to Brockwell Park as they launch legal action against Lambeth Council
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Oscar winner Mark Rylance has claimed a London park has been turned into a “prison camp” by music festivals as he joins the fight to ban the events from being held there.
Local campaigners are arguing that a festival season called Brockwell Live – which includes Cross the Tracks, a jazz, funk and soul event, and Mighty Hoopla, an LGBTQ+-friendly pop weekend – is causing long-term damage to nature in Brockwell Park in south London.
In an escalating row, they have now launched legal action against Lambeth Council over its decision to allow the 125-acre park, located in Herne Hill, to be used for the festivals without planning permission.
Now Academy award-winning actor – and local resident – Sir Mark Rylance has waded into the row, demanding the council reconsider its backing of the events as he condemned the destruction wreaked by the walls built for the festivals.
The Wolf Hall star said: “Brockwell Park is a place for people and nature. It is essential to many people’s mental health, to our joy, our healing grief. It was a gift to the local community and is held in trust for us by Lambeth.
“The imposition of high steel walls for Brockwell Live every summer destroys the park for weeks and harms the grass, trees and plant life for months — if not forever. It turns it into a prison camp.
“I fully support this campaign to legally challenge our Lambeth governors and make a new arrangement for our park. Enough is enough. Stop the walls.”
Campaigners described the park as a “site of importance for nature conservation” and said that “we are caught in a cycle of fencing for events and re-fencing to repair the inevitable damage”, with trees damaged, wildlife disturbed and soil compacted.
In an open letter, spearheaded by Protect Brockwell Park, the coalition warned that the park is being “damaged beyond repair” by “unsustainable” large-scale music festivals like Brockwell Live, which draws more than 285,000 attendees across nine days, and requires at least 37 days during spring and summer to set-up and take-down.
Bridgerton star Adjoa Andoh posted a photograph on Instagram showing the previously grassy park turned to mud with litter strewn everywhere following a festival, as she confirmed her backing for the campaign to “preserve our park for everyone”.
She said: “This public park was created for the free enjoyment of all Lambeth residents. I know we’re a poor borough, but shame on Lambeth Council for not protecting it better! Our wildlife, our ancient trees have been decimated, our residents without a free green space.”
The park, featuring Grade II-listed Brockwell Hall, is made up of 50.8 hectares of green space and hosts a lido, walled garden and a clock tower. It was bought by Lambeth Council in 1986.
Protect Brockwell Park announced that they initiated judicial review proceedings in the High Court against Lambeth Council earlier this month. They said: “On 9 April, Lambeth Council received our pre-action letter challenging its decision to grant a certificate of lawful development. This certificate would permit commercial events to take place in Brockwell Park without planning permission.”
Lambeth Council charges Brockwell Live owner Superstruct to use the park but confirmed it does not profit from the events, while it said it invests £500,000 a year in maintaining the park.
A spokesperson said: “Events in Brockwell Park run for a short period before summer and generate significant cultural opportunities and entertainment for younger people across the borough. Events also support businesses in the area, the majority of which are small businesses who experience increases in footfall during the events programme. This boosts our local economy and provides jobs and income for residents.”
They continued: “The area of the park used for events has been independently assessed as being of low ecological sensitivity grassland, and there is no ecological damage caused as a result. Income from events is helping us put money into diversity projects in other areas of the park, with at least £20,000 invested in this way last year.”
They added that they engage with local people living in the area about events held in the park.
They said that Brockwell Live helps ensure the free annual Lambeth Country Show can continue due to savings of £700,000 as well as leading to £150,000 in investment in the park and community projects.
They continued: “We appreciate there can be impacts on people in the surrounding neighbourhood, alongside organisers we are working hard to minimise disruption, having a 24-hour help line and staff in the streets throughout the course of events. We have also moved the date of events in Brockwell Park to earlier in the year, so the entire park is available throughout the school summer holidays.”
They added: “We are committed to addressing all potential issues promptly and effectively, while ensuring Lambeth’s residents continue to have access to a diverse and meaningful range of events.”
The Independent has approached Superstruct for comment.
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Oscar winner Mark Rylance joins fight to stop music festivals turning London park into ‘prison camp’ – The Independent
