A campaigner has been unsuccessful in a High Court attempt to challenge the granting of planning permission for multiple music festivals at Brockwell Park. The south London park in Lambeth plays host to a series of events known as Brockwell Live, drawing hundreds of thousands of visitors to festivals such as Field Day and Mighty Hoopla.
Known as the UK's biggest pop festival, Mighty Hoopla was created with joy and inclusivity in mind, uniting music lovers, spreading positivity and supporting the LGBTQ+ community across its stages, behind the scenes and in audience experiences. The festival's first green field site was Victoria Park, attracting 10,000 people for its inaugural show in 2017, before moving to Brockwell Park a year later. In 2022, Mighty Hoopla expanded to a two-day show, now serving tens of thousands of people across both days.
This year's headliners include Lily Allen, Jessie J, JLS, Scissor Sisters, Five and Estelle. However, had local resident Julie Chambers' legal challenge been approved, the two-day festival would have had to find a new venue. Chambers sought court approval in London to mount a legal challenge against Lambeth Council regarding its decision to utilise sections of the park for events scheduled to commence on 23 May.
The council resisted the application, with festival operators Summer Events Limited also participating in proceedings. The planning permission issued by the council permits a temporary change of use for part of the park, spanning up to 32 days. In written submissions, Richard Harwood KC, representing Ms Chambers, argued that the granting of planning permission was "unlawful." He contended that in approving permission, the term "recreation" had been wrongly interpreted to "include an open-air music festival." Mr Harwood said: "That provision is concerned with non-sport activities, such as walking, sitting out and open-air games. It does not include a concert, whether the activities of professional musicians or spectators."
However, on May 6, Mr Justice Jay rejected the application. He noted that the Oxford English Dictionary defines recreation as a "pastime which is pursued for the pleasure or interest it provides." Mr Justice Jay further stated: "It is clear in my view that this musical festival is a cultural activity."
Sasha White KC, acting on behalf of Lambeth Council, informed the court that the events were "clearly" a form of "outdoor recreation" which "readily encompasses organised cultural and musical events held in a park." In written submissions, he further noted: "A maximum of 26% of the park's overall area will be formally fenced off at any one time, allowing access within that area to ticketholders alone. However, even during the events the rest of the park will be retained as public open space, therefore leaving 74% of the park open to the public throughout this period." Mr White went on to say that assessments indicated no "unacceptable harm" would result from planning permission being granted, and that nine distinct benefits had been identified.
It comes as Mighty Hoopla's Malta festival was cancelled due to airline industry disruption and rising costs amid the jet fuel crisis. A statement posted to Instagram explained that the festival had been "in contact with airlines connected to Malta to understand the likely impact [of the jet fuel crisis]. We have been advised that fewer flights will be scheduled and that prices will likely go up. This leaves us in a very different position to when we first launched the event." It added that the decision "has not been taken lightly," and that all those who had purchased tickets will be given a full refund. The four-day festival launched in 2025 and was set to welcome Sugababes, Beth Ditto, Liberty X and more.
Mighty Hoopla London is due to run on 30th to 31st May 2026.
