Gunnersbury Park CIC Submits Rapidly Revised Proposal

Says nineteen events is minimum to make park sustainable

Band One events could still attract close to 30,000 people. Picture: Facebook

August 13, 2026

Gunnersbury Park & Museum CIC has submitted a significantly revised planning proposal for large-scale events at Gunnersbury Park, just days after Hounslow Council’s Planning Committee voted to defer its decision and requested reductions to the scale of the scheme. The updated submission, lodged under the existing reference P/2025/3274, will return to committee on 3 September, marking an unusually swift turnaround for a major application that has drawn intense public scrutiny.

The revised plans follow the closely watched committee meeting earlier this month, where councillors spent more than three hours debating whether the park should host up to 22 commercial event days per year until 2031. The original proposal—already reduced from a ten-year term to five—would have allowed concerts, festivals and other large-scale events to occupy parts of the Grade II* listed park for up to 115 days each year, including set-up and dismantling periods.

Planning officers acknowledged that the scheme would cause temporary harm to heritage assets and ecological sensitivities, but argued that the cultural and financial benefits outweighed the impacts when combined with mitigation measures. These included alternating event arenas, reduced noise limits, and strict licensing controls. Residents, however, raised concerns about cumulative noise, late-night disturbance, traffic congestion, fencing, loss of access, ecological harm and the long-term commercialisation of public green space. Councillors reported receiving dozens of emails ahead of the meeting.

Speakers from local groups—including Marie Rabouhans of the West Chiswick and Gunnersbury Society and Peter Bainbridge of the Gunnersbury Park Gardens Estate Residents’ Association—called for reductions or outright refusal. Chiswick Gunnersbury councillors Ron Mushiso and Joanna Biddolph also opposed the application, with Cllr Biddolph describing it as “the single most complained about topic in my inbox” since 2018.

Much of the committee’s debate centred on whether the number of permitted event days should be reduced. Several councillors expressed support for lowering the total, and the CIC’s spokesperson indicated that 19 days was the minimum required to honour existing contractual discussions. Planning officers advised that any reduction would require deferral and resubmission. Councillor Louki’s motion to defer was carried with eleven votes in favour, two against and one abstention.

The CIC has now responded with a substantially altered scheme that incorporates the committee’s feedback. The new proposal reduces the number of live event days from 22 to 19, further tightens noise limits, and introduces additional controls on infrastructure and trackway installation.

Key changes include:

• 19 live event days per year, down from 22
• 9 Band 1 days (20,000–29,999 attendees, max 73dB(A))
• 10 Band 2 days (3,500–19,999 attendees, max 70dB(A))
• Trackway included within the 115-day total, addressing concerns that ground protection could extend beyond the permitted period
• Continued voluntary reductions in maximum sound levels
• A commitment to four fixed continuous monitoring points plus up to three additional locations per event
• Confirmation that only one event arena will operate at any time, with no overlapping live days

The CIC emphasises that the revised 19-day limit represents the minimum viable programme needed to sustain the park’s finances. According to the submission, events generated approximately £950,000 in 2025, forming around 38% of commercial revenue. With one council partner signalling that its service fee funding will cease from April 2028, the Trust argues that multi-year event income is essential to avoid jeopardising the park’s long-term management and museum services.

The documents also outline the CIC’s unsuccessful bids to Green Roots and the National Heritage Lottery Fund, noting that most charitable funders support projects rather than core running costs. The Trust says it cannot currently resource a full-scale fundraising programme without the stability provided by multi-year event income.

The revised submission acknowledges the concerns raised by councillors and residents, particularly around noise, access, and the duration of infrastructure on site. It argues that the new 19-day limit, combined with reduced noise levels and tighter controls on trackway, represents a “substantial further reduction in the duration and intensity of the proposals.”

The CIC also stresses that Gunnersbury Park competes with other London venues for touring artists, and that the ability to offer nine higher-capacity days is essential to securing reputable operators and headline acts. Without this, the Trust warns it may struggle to maintain financial stability or meet upcoming repair and maintenance obligations.

The accompanying Event Management Plan Summary—also updated in August 2026—details the oversight mechanisms that will govern each event, including the Safety Advisory Group, licensing conditions, crowd management plans, traffic controls, environmental policies and accessibility measures. The CIC argues that these frameworks provide robust protection for residents and the park’s heritage landscape.