Campaigners, Rylance challenge music festivals' impact on London park

Oscar-winning actor Sir Mark Rylance has joined campaigners in opposing the annual Brockwell Live music festivals in Brockwell Park, Lambeth, describing the site as being turned into a 'prison camp' by the events' high steel fencing and extensive closures. Local residents and environmental groups argue that the festivals, which attract hundreds of thousands of attendees, cause long-term harm to the park's grass, trees, and wildlife, with areas fenced off for weeks and some environmental damage taking months to repair. Rylance, a local resident and environmental advocate, has called the park a vital space for community well-being and criticized Lambeth Council for prioritizing large-scale events over the park’s ecological health. As a result, campaigners have launched a legal challenge against the council’s decision to allow the festivals without planning permission, raising over £31,000 to support judicial review proceedings. The controversy highlights tensions between cultural events and urban green space conservation, with opponents demanding new arrangements to protect the park's future. Lambeth Council, which oversees the park and festival approvals, has faced increasing scrutiny as the legal battle unfolds.