Fears over plan to double number of days events can be held in park

By Robert Firth, Local Democracy Reporter

Residents fear plans to double the number of days events such as film shoots and funfairs can take place in a park will cause more rubbish and noise.

Southwark council wants permission to expand the number of days Burgess Park can be used for such events from 28 days per year to 56.

The proposals would allow events to take place in the park for up to two months every year over a three-year period.

Last year the park played host to funfairs as well as a carnival.

But some residents said they were unhappy about the disturbance caused by the events.

Begona Minoz said rubbish was left piled up and stinking in the park after a film shoot packed up last year.

The 34-year-old said she was worried bringing even more events to the park would cause extra nuisance.

She said: “It’s true that it was used for filming last year. It was a bit annoying because of the smell. They didn’t clean up.

“They left all the rubbish there for weeks afterwards. That was the main problem.

“They can use the space, but they need to clean it and take everything away on time. I really like to enjoy the park. I understand that sometimes it can be used, but not all the time.”

Paolo Silini, 50, who lives by Burgess Park, said he was worried about an uptick in unwanted noise and litter from the extra events.

He said: “I’m not happy because of the noise. I live just on the corner and the events cut off the park from the public.

“There’s always so much mess left behind, too. I think 28 days is fair enough, but 56 days is far too much.”

But resident Lauren Cook, 22, who was taking a walk through the park with James Barlow, 26, said she thought increasing the number of days reserved for events in the park could improve the variety on offer.

She said: “I think it’s a pretty good idea. The funfair is always good but it’s for one age demographic. It would be good if they made it accessible to other people.”

A Southwark Council planning committee was due to vote on plans to double the number of days the park can be used for events at a meeting on February 28, but councillors agreed to delay making a decision on the plans until a future meeting so that further consultation could be carried out.

Cllr Catherine Rose, Southwark Council’s cabinet member for parks, said the film shoots and ticketed events generated money to fund free events across the borough.

She said: “A number of helpful suggestions were made about how we could do more to limit the impact of these plans on the local community and so we have deferred the application to allow us to carefully consider these, and to provide a comprehensive equalities impact assessment.

“Filming and ticketed events generate money for our borough that we simply would not have otherwise.

“It’s not just about money, though. Many people attend these ticketed events which bring music, art and culture to local neighbourhoods.

“We are a borough rich in culture, and many people choose to live here because of the huge range of activity they can find close to home.”

Pictured top: The Burgess Park Family Funfair, one of the events scheduled for the park’s calendar in 2022 (Picture: Robert Firth)