Have your say on Wandsworth’s draft Events Policy

Approved by the Council’s Cabinet on 3 March, the policy sets out how we will support vibrant, community focused events while keeping our award-winning parks and open spaces safe, sustainable, and accessible for all. 

Whether you love cultural celebrations or community gatherings, this is your chance to help shape the future of events in Wandsworth’s parks, commons and open spaces, whilst ensuring our green spaces and biodiversity are protected. 

Have your say on Wandsworth’s draft Events Policy

As a listening Council, we have shaped this draft policy based on what residents have already told us- through community feedback and our London Borough of Culture bid. 

We know how much residents value our brilliant parks and open spaces, and we want them to be at the heart of Welcome to Wandsworth 2025, a celebration of our borough’s traditions, festivals, food, and arts. Culture brings joy, improves wellbeing, and strengthens communities and this policy aims to make sure our parks and green spaces play a central role. 

From Battersea Park Fireworks to grassroots community events, Wandsworth’s parks are already buzzing with activity. This draft policy aims to improve access across the borough, ensuring every corner comes alive in an explosion of creativity - from Roehampton to Battersea, Tooting to Putney. 

It will allow for more events such as pop-up theatres, outdoor film screenings, community events, and neighbourhood festivals, which showcase the work of our local creatives from the many communities that make Wandsworth a great place to live. 

The draft policy is a key way we will maintain strict safeguards to protect our green spaces, such as a cap on the number of event days in a year, a 10 p.m. curfew except in exceptional circumstances, and limited audience sizes. All events that require a licence or temporary event notice will be subject to additional scrutiny by our Licensing Committee and further consultation with residents. 

The new policy introduces stronger environmental commitments, requiring event organisers to reduce waste, limit air pollution, promote public transport, and add social value back into the community. Organisers of commercial events must also provide discounted tickets to eligible residents under our Access for All scheme, giving everyone an equal chance to access local opportunities. 

We are also putting consultation at the heart of the policy, with events requiring more engagement with local communities before approval, and post-event feedback opportunities will be a key part of future planning. We are committed to listening to residents every step of the way. 

Judi Gasser, Cabinet Member for Environment, said: “Welcome to Wandsworth 2025 will create lasting memories, uniting our communities in a spectacular year of culture. 

“We want to listen to residents and our community partners in our parks throughout the development of this policy to create a framework that brings exciting events to every corner of the borough while protecting our cherished green spaces. 

“It maintains strict safeguards to ensure that the number of events, number of attendees and other conditions of events are carefully controlled, as we are clear that maintaining the beauty and enjoyment of our parks for local residents must be the priority. 

“Please take part in the consultation when it opens to help us get this right for your local park and parks across the borough.”

The proposed policy would apply to the whole borough. However, we recognise that each park is different. The consultation will therefore include details about proposed attendance capacity and event frequency for each park which residents are invited to comment on. 

We want to hear your views. The consultation opens soon – sign up to Brightside Online or our WhatsApp Channel for the latest updates. 

Catch up on the Cabinet meeting on 3 March by watching the webcast.