Wandsworth and Lambeth councils have clashed over plans to increase the number of “noisy” events held on Clapham Common.

Lambeth’s new “events strategy” will allow it to host more events on the common, and at a louder volume.

Plans for the common, which cuts through the two boroughs, were critcised by Wandsworth although independent member James Cousins said the local authority’s reaction had left him “somewhat bemused” given its history of “monetising parks and open spaces”.

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The plan aims to raise money for Lambeth Council by staging “high quality” commercial events. It will also seek to relax current noise restrictions.

It would allow a maximum of eight “major events”, classified as more than 20,000 attendees, to be hosted on each of its five parks.

Last weekend thousands of music fans flocked to Clapham Common for the Let’s Rock Festival.

The common is managed and maintained solely by Lambeth, but due to the location, many of the affected residents would be within Wandsworth.

Environment spokesman for Wandsworth, Councillor Jonathan Cook accused Lambeth of “sneaking through the plans” and “burying” their opposition in a 520-word report.


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Cllr Cook said: “I’m afraid that Lambeth is not being open and transparent about these changes. The public has been kept in the dark.

“These recommendations are buried some 300 pages into a 520-page report. Nowhere does it say that we formally oppose these changes because of the impact they will have on residents living in our borough.

“The Lambeth report completely conceals this fact.”

Lambeth Council dismissed the claims, calling them ‘absurd’ stating the report was 19 pages long, not 520 and that they had carried out an extensive consultation.

A spokesman for Lambeth Council said: “Lambeth’s events strategy has been approved by cabinet and council.

“The recommendations are not ‘buried’ – the cabinet report is 19 pages, not 520 pages as the press release says and the noise limit will be increased only from 70dB to 75dB and for a maximum of eight days per year.”

Independent councillor James Cousins, whose ward is adjacent to the common said Wandsworth Council’s response was “hysterical, and hypocritical” and called on them to work with Lambeth to minimise disruption for residents.

Mr Cousins said: “I’m somewhat bemused by Wandsworth’s reaction to the plan given their track record of monetising parks and open spaces lately.

“It’s an unfortunate fact that austerity has meant councils have to look at ways to raise revenue and many councils have seen their open spaces as an easy way to do that, neither Lambeth or Wandsworth are innocent.”

Lambeth Council claims the strategy will generate more than £100,000 of income, which will be used to support the parks and small local events.

Clapham Common will host three days of music over the August bank holiday with electronic festival South West Four taking place on August 27 and 28 followed by Madness’s “House Of Common” festival on the preceeding Monday.