Residents get consultation on Mighty Hoopla 2026

South London residents are being consulted on a series of festival events in Brockwell Park under a "new approach" by Lambeth Council.

Summer Events Ltd, the company which runs the Brockwell Live festival series featuring events including Mighty Hoopla, Cross the Tracks and Field Day, submitted its first planning application for its 2026 programme earlier this month.

It means for the first time residents will be consulted on each event and be able to submit comments in opposition or support.

Earlier this month, the council announced that the Lambeth Country Show, a free event which has taken place in Brockwell Park since 1974, will not be taking place next year due to a rise in running costs.

Summer Events has applied for temporary planning permission so it can use approximately a quarter of the park for a maximum of 32 days.

According to one of the planning documents, the proposed event days would take place between 9 May and 9 June 2026 and include days for event set ups, show days, event de-rig and "wet weather buffer days", the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

It is the first time a planning application has been submitted for Brockwell Live, which previously operated under permitted development rights.

Earlier this year, a judge ruled in the favour of a group of campaigners who argued Lambeth Council did not have the correct planning permission for the festivals and found that parts of the park were being used beyond the permitted 28 days.

The council decided not to appeal the ruling to avoid "unnecessary costs to the taxpayer" and said it had embarked on a "new approach" for the programme of events in Brockwell Park.

The council said a planning application would enable "greater clarity" about the status of future major events and will enable community consultation on the proposal.

Donatus Anyanwu, Lambeth Council's cabinet member for stronger communities, said the proposal for next year "balances the desire" to host events while reducing the impact on locals.

Campaigners from the Protect Brockwell Park campaign group said they were "delighted" that the council decided to withdraw its appeal "and finally recognised that large-scale events in Brockwell Park must undergo full planning permission".

They called for "full transparency of the commercial events' revenues" and a "credible, open planning process, with robust impact assessments, and effective enforcement of planning conditions".

The public have until 31 December to comment on the proposals for the park next year.

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