Gunnersbury Festivals Face Multiple Legal Challenges
Campaigners accept councillor's invitation to 'take us to court'
There is unhappiness about parts of the park regularly being fenced off for events. Picture: Gunnersbury Heritage
December 16, 2025
Campaigners living in the vicinity have escalated their opposition to large-scale commercial festivals in Gunnersbury Park, issuing legal letters to Hounslow and Ealing Councils and filing a formal licence review.
Local charity Gunnersbury Heritage has written to both councils, arguing that the growing number of private events breaches the historic 1926 covenant requiring the park to remain a public space. Fifty-six households have joined the action, asserting enforceable rights under the covenant.
The Gunnersbury Park Garden Estate Residents Association has separately submitted a detailed Premises Licence review to Hounslow Council, backed by more than 300 pages of evidence. The review calls for stricter noise limits, shorter event durations, and compliance with national planning rules that cap temporary use of land at 28 days per year.
Councillor Salman Shaheen, Hounslow’s Cabinet Member for Parks, told residents earlier this year that if they were unhappy with the council’s stance they should “take us to court.” The councils argue that commercial events are necessary to generate income for the park’s upkeep, with Gunnersbury Estate CIC – the body managing the site – reporting that £30 million is needed for heritage repairs.
Residents say the impact of festivals has been severe, citing hundreds of noise complaints in recent years and disruption lasting more than 100 days annually when set-up and breakdown periods are included. They argue that current limits of 75 dB are inappropriate for a residential area, pointing to Hyde Park and Richmond where 65 dB caps are enforced.
Campaigners also question the use of public money. Despite promises that the park would become self-sufficient, councils continue to contribute around £500,000 per year to the CIC. Critics argue that profits from major promoters such as Festival Republic and Soho House have not translated into visible improvements, with restoration of the Small Mansion and stables still incomplete.
The dispute comes as Gunnersbury CIC seeks approval for a 10-year planning application allowing up to 118 festival hire days annually – a move residents warn could set a national precedent for long-term commercial use of public parks.
Cllr Salman Shaheen, Cabinet Member for Culture, Leisure and Public Spaces, on Hounslow Council said, "Gunnersbury Park's events programme brings world-class musical acts to Hounslow, enriching the cultural offer for our residents, attracting people from across London and beyond, and boosting our local economy and profile as a destination borough. It also generates vital income to fund the upkeep of this treasured park and historic house, making it a wonderful place that is enjoyed by hundreds of thousands of people every year.
“We, along with Ealing Council and Gunnersbury CIC, understand that some people have raised objections to events in the park. We also appreciate that events can sometimes cause disruption and disturbance to people who live nearby, and of course it is important that they are well managed. That is why we hold Gunnersbury events to strict planning and licensing conditions. We take residents' concerns about noise very seriously, and so we have robust conditions in place to ensure that any event adheres to our noise level requirements. A Council team attends every event – for the full duration - to ensure the noise levels are not breached.
“All partners work together to try to strike a balance between the preferences of different park users. We consider the impact on local communities and the need to generate income for the park and enrich the borough’s cultural offering.
“We’ve received a legal letter from Gunnersbury Heritage CIO and will respond to and engage with them.”
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