Alternative Funding Vision Proposed for Gunnersbury Park

Residents’ group says costs can be covered without large-scale events

The report states that local dogs would benefit if areas of the park weren't constantly fenced off. Picture: GPGERA

May 29, 2026

A residents' association has submitted a detailed alternative funding proposal for Gunnersbury Park, arguing that the green space can raise tens of millions of pounds through grants, charitable giving and community partnerships — without relying so heavily on the large-scale commercial music festivals that have divided opinion in the area for years.

The Gunnersbury Park Garden Estate Residents Association (GPGERA) has presented its proposal, titled "A Positive Vision for Gunnersbury Park 2026: Ensuring Sustainable Enjoyment for All", to the London Borough of Hounslow, the London Borough of Ealing, and Gunnersbury Estate (2026) CIC. It identifies potential funding routes with a combined application range of up to approximately £31.4 million, to be pursued through a phased five-year charitable fundraising campaign.

The proposal comes as a wave of major events, including a concert by Lenny Kravitz, schedule for this summer were cancelled. Although the CIC does not published detailed information on the money raised from these events, it is understood that it will be left with a substantial hole in its budget.

The cancellations were a result of the failure of the CIC to secure planning permission in time. It had originally planned to get a blanket approval for ten years for large events (P/2025/3274), a move GPGERA strongly opposes on the grounds that it would weaken public scrutiny and lock in a commercial model that it says is incompatible with the park's heritage, biodiversity and residential setting.

The proposal arrives against a backdrop of genuine financial difficulty — one that underlines why the debate over events income is so fraught. The 186-acre Grade II listed park, co-owned by Hounslow and Ealing councils, has faced a prolonged funding squeeze as local authority contributions have been reduced year on year. The CIC that now manages it has turned increasingly to commercial events — including large music festivals — to bridge the gap.

The GPGERA proposal points to a wide range of funding streams it claims have been underexplored: the National Lottery Community Fund, the National Lottery Heritage Fund, the Mayor of London's Green Roots Fund, Community Infrastructure Levy allocations, environmental and biodiversity grants, health and wellbeing funding, philanthropic donors, membership schemes, corporate partnerships and crowdfunding. The CIC has had success in obtaining grants from the Lottery and Historic England.

The document recommends breaking restoration needs into smaller, themed funding bids rather than relying on a single large application or treating festivals as the park's default financial lifeline. It also argues that publicly beneficial uses of the park's historic buildings — including a potential arts centre in the Small Mansion, a restored museum, an equestrian centre, community gardens, a nursery and heritage education programmes — could generate more stable, year-round income than temporary festival occupation.

GPGERA also says the 2026 premises licence review, while resulting in some additional conditions, did not meaningfully reduce permitted noise levels, event days or audience capacity. "Residents remain concerned that improved management alone will not resolve the underlying issue of repeated high-impact commercial use in a public park surrounded by homes, schools, wildlife habitat and everyday park users," the association said.

"We recognise that Gunnersbury Park needs funding. That is exactly why we have produced this proposal," the association added. "What we do not accept is the idea that the only route to restoration is more noise, more disruption and more pressure on a public park already under strain."

David G Bowler, CEO Gunnersbury Museum and Park and the CIC said on behalf of the park's Board of Trustees, “Thank you to the Gunnersbury Park Garden Estate Residents’ Association for its thoughtful and constructive proposals. The trustees will consider the contents of the Resident Association document at the next scheduled Board meeting . We remain committed to ongoing, open dialogue with residents and park users , including at the upcoming residents’ meeting on 2 June . Together, we share a clear commitment to a thriving museum and park, supported by a sustainable and diverse range of funding streams that protect its future for all.”

Val Bott, of the Gunnersbury Park Friends who were not involved in the production of the report, offered a more cautious assessment ahead of the recent licensing review. "The Gunnersbury Park estate cannot survive without earning income because the two councils which own it have been gradually reducing their contributions to its funding — an estate which has been a publicly-funded asset for 100 years this year," Ms Bott said. "At a time of massively rising costs this is a high risk strategy."

She pointed to the near-impossibility of plugging that gap through grants alone. "It is impossible to get grants for essential core funding — indeed, funders won't provide project funding without some sense that the heart of an organisation is safe. The Friends have contributed to garden and museum projects since their founding in 1981, and the staff team has worked hard to raise project funding for the museum, but neither can substitute for stable core income. "

Her position is not one of blanket opposition to events, however. "Since our charity was founded in 1981, the Friends have always argued that Gunnersbury offers a wonderful space for events as long as they are appropriate and carefully managed," she said, noting that management has improved considerably since the CIC's difficult start in 2018, with police regarding crowd management as effective.

But Ms Bott acknowledged the toll the current model has taken. "Noise and crowds, large areas closed off for weeks at a time and now serious evidence of damage to the soil and landscape show the serious risks involved," she said.

The timing of the new report carries particular weight. Gunnersbury Park marks its centenary as a publicly owned asset this year. GPGERA is calling on both councils and the CIC to publish a clearer long-term funding strategy, assess alternatives to large-scale commercial events, and work with residents, charities, schools and local organisations to develop what it describes as a lower-impact, publicly accountable model for the park's future.

The park's trustees have organised a resident meeting for this Tuesday 2 June 2nd 6pm0 at the museum . They say they will be happy to answer any queries about this summer’s events programme at this session.