Gunnersbury Park Seeks 10-Year Live Event Consent
Blanket approval would mean separate applications would not be needed
Local residents' groups claim events have brought littering, drug use and anti-social behaviour to the area. Picture: Save Gunnersbury Park
December 2, 2025
Gunnersbury Estate CIC has submitted a planning application (P/2025/3274) for a 10-year consent to host temporary events at Gunnersbury Park. It is proposing up to 28 live event days per year between May 2026 and May 2036, alongside 90 days allocated for setup, takedown, and inactive periods. The application would formalise the use of two designated areas — the Old Cricket Pitch and South Playing Fields — for ticketed events involving temporary structures, fencing, concessions, and facilities.
The proposal aims to replace the current system, where each event beyond the 28-day national allowance requires a separate planning application. According to the CIC, the change would streamline operations, reduce administrative costs, and support the financial sustainability of the Grade II* listed park and museum.
In a statement issued earlier this year, Hounslow Council acknowledged the financial pressures facing local authorities and the need to reduce support for non-statutory services like parks. The Council described commercial event hires as a “vital income stream” for Gunnersbury Estate CIC, which manages the park on behalf of Hounslow and Ealing boroughs.
“We are keen to ensure that the events are appropriate for the setting and well-managed,” the Council said. “This includes challenging activity which breaches agreed standards and regulations.”
The Council also confirmed that feedback from recent events — including the Krankbrother festival, which drew complaints over noise and crowd impact — would be incorporated into formal debriefs. It added that further hires from organisers would be contingent on credible improvement plans.
However, the proposal has sparked concern among residents. Critics argue that the long-term consent would remove opportunities for public scrutiny and erode local accountability. There was some annoyance that the application was not brought up at the public information event held by park management recently.
The Save Gunnersbury Park campaign says that the scheme represents an unprecedented commercialisation of Metropolitan Open Land and threatens both residents’ quality of life and the park’s ecology.
Campaigners argue this would:
- Exceed legal limits under the GPDO 2015, which restricts temporary use to 28 days.
- Commercialise Metropolitan Open Land, contrary to London Plan Policy G3.
- Conflict with the existing premises licence, which sets stricter noise and safety conditions.
- Permit noise levels up to 90 dB, far above the current cap of 75 dB.
- Rely on outdated 2011 Census data for transport modelling, ignoring the 2021 Census.
- Restrict public access for months each year, fencing off large sections of the park.
- Remove residents’ statutory rights to comment on individual applications for a decade.
The campaign also highlights ecological concerns, noting incomplete wildlife surveys and risks to bats, hedgehogs, nesting birds, and pollinators.
Residents have reported severe noise disturbance during past festivals, including “windows shaking from low-frequency vibrations” with antisocial behaviour spilling into residential streets — from public urination and drug dealing to litter and waste left behind. Campaigners warn that expanding events to 118 days would “amplify” these problems.
The Gunnersbury Park Garden Estate Residents Association will host a public meeting on Tuesday 9 December at 8pm at the Triangle Club (W3 8LN) to discuss the application.
The Save Gunnersbury Park campaign stresses it does not oppose all commercial activity but seeks to reduce the scale of events and ensure genuine community representation in governance. It calls for transparency in financial data, contracts, and decision-making, arguing that current structures have led to a “near-terminal breakdown in trust.”
Cllr Joanna Biddolph, described the application as “yet another example of the park management team refusing to listen.”
“Even after so many criticisms this summer, the team is pushing ahead without any sensitivity to local opinion,” she said. “To grant blanket planning permission will deny locals any right to object to individual applications.”
Cllr Biddolph acknowledged the need for the park to raise funds but criticised the lack of engagement with residents, saying many felt “stunned — again — by the park’s refusal to recognise that it is surrounded by reasonable residents who want the park to be run well.”
The planning statement submitted by Firstplan on behalf of the CIC outlines measures to protect the park’s heritage and ecology, including restrictions on event footprint, hours, and infrastructure. Only one event arena would be used at a time, and the majority of the park would remain open to the public during events.
The CIC also emphasised its commitment to community consultation, including annual meetings with stakeholders and direct outreach to thousands of nearby households.
The application is now under review by Hounslow Council and comments can be made through the council’s planning pages. The deadline for comment on the planning application is 18 December 2025.
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