Residents have just days left to make their voices heard on a controversial new policy that could reshape the way events are held in Wandsworth’s parks and commons.
The council’s consultation on its draft Open Spaces Events Policy closes this Monday, 13 May, and with no changes made since its initial publication, concerns continue to grow about its long-term implications.
The policy would relax longstanding restrictions on noise, usage frequency, and environmental protection — a move that many residents fear could transform parks like Wandsworth Common, Tooting Common, and King George’s Park into venues for commercial-scale festivals, rather than community spaces.
Key concerns: more events, more noise, less access
The proposed policy includes a number of significant changes:
- Events on Grass in Winter: The current ban on winter events would be lifted. Events could now be approved on grass between 30 September and 1 April, raising fears of long-term turf damage — as happened in 2024 when Zippos Circus was refused due to park condition.
- Back-to-Back Weekend Events: Events could be held on consecutive weekends in the same park, making it harder for residents to enjoy uninterrupted access to green space.
- Private, Ticketed Events on Weekends: Previously limited to weekdays, ticketed commercial events could now take place during weekends, in “non-public” zones — potentially reducing inclusivity.
- Noise Limit Removed: A clear noise cap of 75dB at 10 metres would be replaced with a more subjective “best practice” system based on proximity to housing, raising enforcement concerns.
- Extended Event Hours: Though 10pm remains the general cut-off, exceptions could be granted for later events such as New Year’s Eve, with fears this could be expanded.
- Reduced Oversight: The policy grants more discretion to officers to make “non-material” changes without consulting councillors or the public, prompting criticism over transparency.
Despite the scale of the proposed changes, the council has not held any public information meetings or Q&A sessions since the consultation launched — and has not provided updated responses to the initial backlash raised at committee earlier this year.
A wider battle over London’s parks
The Wandsworth draft policy comes amid a wider debate over the future of London’s green spaces. In neighbouring Merton, residents have long opposed the commercialisation of Morden Park, where a 2018 festival triggered more than 400 noise complaints. More recently, campaigners have been fighting a permanent premises licence that would allow late-night, ticketed events throughout the year without public consultation — sparking a petition and formal objections from community groups including Friends of the Earth.
In Wimbledon Park, opposition to the All England Lawn Tennis Club’s expansion plans has now escalated to the courts. After a years-long campaign involving environmental objections, planning appeals, and sustained local resistance, the Save Wimbledon Park group confirmed this week that it has secured a judicial review date in June to challenge Merton Council’s approval of AELTC’s plans. The case will be heard at the Royal Courts of Justice, marking a critical legal test over whether private development can override heritage and public access concerns in a Grade II*-listed historic park.
In Wandsworth, a separate planning controversy this week underscored the political pressure around parkland development. The borough’s Heritage and Conservation Advisory Committee (CHAC) backed away from a proposal that would have required its recommendations to align with council planning policies — a move critics said could have forced the committee to support development in protected open spaces. The committee’s reversal followed public pressure and objections from conservation advocates.
A changing political climate
Meanwhile, London Mayor Sadiq Khan announced on Thursday that he will bring forward plans to build homes on parts of the capital’s green belt. The Mayor, who has strong personal and political ties to Wandsworth — and who celebrated Labour’s General Election victory at Wandsworth Town Hall last year — told an audience that “green belt” land should be reconsidered in the context of the housing crisis.
The move has already sparked political reaction across Greater London and raised further concern that policies once intended to protect open space are being weakened or reinterpreted to allow commercial and residential development.
Community calls for stronger protections
Local campaigners and residents have called on Wandsworth Council to revise its draft policy and restore key safeguards, including:
- Reinstating fixed decibel limits for events
- Prohibiting events on grass during the wet winter months
- Limiting consecutive weekend bookings in individual parks
- Protecting weekends from ticketed private events
- Retaining robust councillor and public oversight of major event decisions
These proposed revisions echo safeguards that have previously helped limit disruption and environmental damage — and follow years of experience in boroughs where similar restrictions were removed with mixed results.
How to respond
The consultation closes at midnight on Monday 13 May 2025. Residents can submit feedback through the council’s online portal or by email.
Submit feedback here: Wandsworth Events Policy Consultation
Or email: consult@wandsworth.gov.uk
Written submissions should reference concerns about noise, access, commercialisation, and environmental protections, and can include comments on the policy itself or the consultation process.
What happens next?
Once the consultation ends, Wandsworth Council is expected to review responses and return the policy to committee for formal approval later this year. No timeline has been confirmed, and no updates have been provided about whether the council plans to make changes.
In the absence of in-person events, council meetings, or published summaries of community input, some residents have expressed concern that the process is being handled behind closed doors.
With green space pressures rising across London — and local decision-making becoming more centralised — the outcome of this consultation could have long-term consequences for how Wandsworth’s parks are used, protected, or repurposed in the years ahead.
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