The Open Spaces Society declare themselves most chuffed with recent Brockwell Park developments

The Open Spaces Society – who describe themselves as the “leading pressure-group for the protection of green spaces” – has publicly congratulated Protect Brockwell Park (PBP) for stopping Lambeth Council from pursuing an appeal over its commercial events plan, which PBP had blocked in the High Court.

In a statement, they said:

The Open Spaces Society was poised to back PBP in the Appeal Court this week with a grant from its Legal-Action Fund, but Lambeth Council decided to withdraw at the last minute.

The council had enabled a series of festivals in 2025 under the banner ‘Brockwell Live’, through a combination of different permitted rights for more than the 28-day legal limit.

This ‘eventification’ of public parks puts undue pressure on the ecology and blocks access to large tracts of public space for an excessive period.

Meanwhile, Lambeth is persisting with other plans, such as seeking 216 days of events on Clapham Common, and 57 days of events on Streatham Common under Article 12 notices. And Gunnersbury Park in Ealing has a draft 10-year plan which will effectively change the park into a commercial-events venue.

Helen Monger, a case officer with the Open Spaces Society, said:

‘Parks play a vital role in the health and well-being of local people.

We understand that local authority budgets are under pressure, but it is greedy to manipulate the planning system for commercial purposes, excluding the community for extended periods of time from quiet enjoyment of its local park.

‘Brockwell Park is dear to our hearts, for the society assisted with its acquisition by London County Council in 1891, and its subsequent extension.

‘We are delighted that PBP has stopped Lambeth Council from ignoring the rule of law, and we shall support others should the need arise.’

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Background: The Open Spaces Society was founded in 1865 and is Britain’s oldest national conservation body. It campaigns to protect common land, village greens, open spaces, and public paths, and people’s right to enjoy them