Hello, I would like to object to the proposed festivals in Brockwell Park, and in particular, field day, mighty hoopla and other day of festivals. I am concerned about the loss of amenity to enjoy my home that these festivals will bring, nuisance to myself, my family and the local area, damage to the park, and further degradations to air quality. According to the Lambeth Open Space Strategy Addenda (prepared by URS Consultants, 2013), linked below, Brockwell Park is designated as a major park, a 70-80 quality score (the highest standard), the least vandalism, but is in one of the most deprived areas (lowest score, 0-20 percent bracket). It is a much loved, and much needed community asset. The key issues are: • Loss of over a third of the park for at least 6 weeks (from Field day and Lovebox combined), causing loss of a valuable resource for health and wellbeing, mental health, play/learning activities for children, and meeting of the local community. • Degradation of air quality in London's second most polluted borough, from diesel generators required to power the festival, cooking for attendees, and transport of 45,000 people per day. • Damage to the park from both ticket holders (particularly if it is a muddy day), HGVs loading stages and equipment, rubbish, and vandalism, (cf broken benches, and damage to model railway at Sunfall). • Nuisance varying from noise at levels known to cause disturbance (cf Code of Practice on Environmental Noise Control at Concerts), urination in local’s gardens and green space, public drug use (cf N02 debris from Sunfall) • Changes to noise levels in the parks were not properly consulted, and most residents are unaware of the change. The events strategy is to have 8 events in the Brixton Zone, which previously would have included events such as Come Together and Brixton Splash elsewhere in the Brixton zone. All events are now being concentrated in one part of the borough, giving an extraordinary burden on a small portion of residents. • Loss of use of town centre amenities due to saturation of 45,000 people. For example, can the Sunday market function when 45,000 people may be trying to reach the park from Herne Hill Station? • Severe disruption to mobile phone coverage – during Sunfall, phone coverage was very patchy due to phone mast saturation (not being able to cope with increased demand of people) • Access issues; getting home from work will be very challenging. Brixton Buzz have reported that TFL and Network rail have raised concerns about Herne Hill Station and Brixton Station’s capacity. • Field Day have expressed a desire to use Brixton Waterlane as a primary entrance to the event. Pavements are approximately 1m wide, and so if 45000 people arrive over 3 hours, that’s 250 people per minute entering the gate, which is unfeasible. • Brockwell Park is also designated a site of borough importance for nature conservation in Lambeth’s own plans. Damage to wildlife in the park from noise, litter, compaction of tree roots and soil (which may also add to drainage issues in the park later in the year). • The daily festival capacity of 40-45,000 is equivalent of the population of the Herne Hill (15k), Tulse Hill (15k) and Thurlow Park (13k) Wards combined, and is simply not appropriate for the facilities. I do not believe Brockwell Park is a suitable size or location to hold the event in question, and do not believe Lambeth have fully conducted a proper impact assessment. One or two events of a much smaller scale such as Found can operate safely in the park, raising revenue, without causing an unacceptable level of loss of amenity. But this scale is far too large for a small park in a residential area. Overleaf, I have provided more information on these issues. Yours, Rory Huston Page 1/4 Personal Loss of Personal Amenity I have a toddle and a newborn. I live in an ex-local authority house with a flat black roof, with no insulation in it (same for half of regent road, many of whom are council tenants). During the summer, if the windows are closed, the house can easily get up to 30 degrees on the upper floors, which are not safe sleeping conditions for children. We manage this by keeping the windows open during the summer, which allows cross ventilation, and controls noise to acceptable levels. During the Sunfall Festival, our toddler was unable to sleep during much of the festival because of noise, causing significant stress; either a leaving children (I have two now) in unsafe hot conditions, or no sleep, meaning a very unpleasant day. We cannot afford to go away, so having 6 days like this offers considerable stress loss of amenity. In our street, there was significant evidence of drug use after the festival (nitrous oxide canisters), and I witnessed many people urinating on grass areas in and around the Meath estate where I live. When challenged, the response was basically where else am I meant to go? Probably with an expletive thrown in for good measure. This antisocial behaviour also means I do not feel the public square outside my house is a safe place for my children to play, due to the activities witnessed, so I am very much confined to a hot house. With a doubling/trebling of numbers, at the field day series of festivals, the level of antisocial behaviours can only be expected to grow, leaving to further nuisance and loss of ability to enjoy my home and surroundings. We also use the park for exercising our dog and children. It's a safe environment for our children to exercise and run free. The area where the old changing rooms sit is used as an impromptu after school club for at Jude's Primary in Regent Road, so this area is a natural draw for kids this side of the park. This is great for children’s learning, and also for parents wellbeing by being able to form supportive bonds with other parents. This will be lost for 6 weeks, detracting from opportunities for communities to meet, for children to play together, slowing their development. I have heard rumours albeit unsubstantiated, of a child stepping on a hypodermic needle after Sunfall, piercing her foot. If true, this is alarming indeed. Value for money for residents The daily festival capacity of 40-45,000 is equivalent of the population of the voting wards surrounding Brockwell Park, Herne Hill (15k), Tulse Hill (15k) and Thurlow Park (13k) Wards combined, and is simply not appropriate for the facilities available, such as access, travel, shops, toilets etc. In 2017, Sunfall paid a £10,000 Park investment Levy, for 20,000 people (source: FOI request). E.g. 50p per person. Field Day is offering between £32,000 and £52,000 depending on the success of the event. It’s therefore likely that 3 weeks of disruption will generate approximately £1 per person who live in the surrounding Herne Hill, Tulse Hill and Thurlow Park Wards. This is very low. Is this a big number? Some comparisons; annual council tax varies from £873 to £2,620 per annum in the borough. The £1 represents 0.03-0.1% of your council tax. Would you notice a tenner change? Probably not. Lambeth reportedly paying £104M for a new headquarters for its staff in Brixton. Interest on £104M at the Bank of England Base rate of 0.5% would be £526,000 per annum. It would seem the revenue generated is very small in comparison to other major expenditure choices and revenue raising opportunities. Scaling back on these would be more logical. Access to the park “We all know that regular physical activity and cultural stimulation contributes positively to emotional and mental wellbeing by preventing and reducing stress, anxiety and depression. So we want to make the most of the borough’s cultural, physical and sports assets to help local people live healthier, happier lives.” Quote from the 2020 consultation documents Parks provide mental health and exercise benefits, that help avoid around £952m of avoided healthcare costs each year (reference the mayor’s recent natural land accounting report), and higher figures for value indicated by residential prices. The area around the lido is a beacon for fitness in the area, with regular park runs, outdoor exercise classes, joggers, cyclists, Tai chi and dog walkers all extensively using the area where festivals are proposed. Consultation forms have stated that the set up of the festival will take up 35% of the park for 2 weeks before and 1 week after the event (a total of 6 weeks, if LoveBox is also considered). Lambeth's own reports state that the area is in a top percentile of places deprived of natural space, so this will further increase that deprivation. Page 2/4 Degradation of air quality Lambeth has amongst the most polluted sites in London, particularly in Brixton, close to Brockwell Park. This has recently been consulted on in Lambeth’s Air Quality Action Plan (AQAP). This highlighted Brixton Hill, Half moon lane, Dulwich Road, Norwood Road as key focus areas. These are basically the major boundaries of Brockwell Park. “Air pollution particularly affects the most vulnerable people in our society: children, older people, and those with heart and lung conditions, who are all classed as sensitive receptors.” “Ensuring adequate, appropriate, and well located green space and infrastructure is included and protected in developments The Lambeth Air Quality Guidance Note includes a reference to Section 9 of the current Lambeth Local Plan regarding Green Infrastructure” To power 8 stages, and food and beverage outlets to feed 45,000 people a day, mobile diesel generators will be brought to site.