A campaign group opposing plans for festivals in Brockwell Park, London have shared their frustrations and explained why exactly they are challenging the events. Protect Brockwell Park, headed by Rebecca Shaman, has been campaigning against the number of festivals taking place in the Brixton park this summer. A recent high court ruling saw the campaign group winning their legal challenge against Lambeth Council regarding the use of parts of the park for this year's .

Despite this ruling, which found that the planned use of the land was lawful because the 37-day duration of the festivals exceeded the 28 days allowed for a temporary change of use, Brockwell Live is still pressing ahead with the events. In fact, Lambeth Council has just "approved a certificate of lawfulness for an existing use or development applied for by Summer Events Limited for events in Brockwell Park". The festivals kick off today (May 23) with Wide Awake, headlined by . Other festivals taking place in the park include Mighty Hoopla, Field Day, Cross the Tracks, City Splash, Brockwell Bounce and the Lambeth Country Show.

Cllr Donatus Anyanwu, Lambeth's Cabinet Member for Stronger Communities, said that striking the balance between "putting on a world-class, inclusive, diverse cultural programme and protecting and stewarding our award-winning parks and open spaces" is challenging. They pointed out the economic benefits such festivals bring to the area which results in "investments for local residents would likely not be possible without income generated from events".

However, Protect Brockwell Park remains frustrated at the events pressing ahead, explining why they are taking action. One member of the group, Jen Hawkins, told the Daily Express: "We are committed to protecting the park. We're not anti-festivals. We'd love to ensure that any future events deliver genuine benefits for local people and that they undergo proper logical assessments. We're not anti-events.

"But we feel like there has been such little transparency and such little consultation with the community. Something needs to change. The scale of them now is unsustainable.

"It's such a shame that they use our beautiful public space as a cash cow," she added. "Loss of public access, damage to nature and the council's lack of transparency and consultation. They are the three key points. We don't think [it's right] that this beautiful public park in the middle of a really urban area in is being fenced off.

She also pointed out that many people in the area don't have gardens. "For them, this is their connection with nature and it's so important for their . We don't feel it's right that they're fencing it off," she said.

The Daily Express has contacted Brockwell Live for comment but has not received a response. Earlier this week following the high court ruling, the festival organisers said in a post on their website: "We wish to make it clear that no event will be cancelled as a result of the High Court's decision.

"We take our stewardship of Brockwell Park seriously. As we prepare to deliver these much-loved, culturally significant events, we remain fully committed to its care, upkeep, and long-term wellbeing. With setup nearly complete, we look forward to opening the gates and welcoming festival goers later this week."

In a statement shared with the Daily Express, Protect Brockwell Park vowed to further challenge the decision to press ahead with the festivals. "Brockwell Live claims that the judgment was made on a technicality and believes it has the legal right to proceed," the statement reads.

"We - and our lawyers - strongly disagree. Yet Brockwell Live has asked Lambeth Council to certify this position, again. Why?Lambeth Council has no business rubber-stamping a flawed legal position for a second time. Issuing another certificate now would defy last week's judgment. If Lambeth Council does, we'll challenge the certificate, immediately. We want Lambeth Council to stop using legal mechanisms to avoid scrutiny. This campaign is about the park as a green public space - and Lambeth Council's pattern of dodging scrutiny. It stops now."