Three-day festival plans are rejected
CONTROVERSIAL plans to hold a three-day music festival at the Hop Farm in Paddock Wood have been rejected by Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council.
East Peckham residents celebrated when they heard the licence application to increase the capacity to 53,000 people, including 20,000 campers from July 2 to July 6 next year, was thrown out by councillors.
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CELEBRATIONS: East Peckham residents celebrate the news that the Hop Farm festival licence application has being rejected by the council
The decision was made at a packed meeting of the Licensing and Appeals Committee, on Tuesday, on the grounds there was a lack of information from the applicant. Giving evidence at the meeting chief planner at the council Lindsay Pearson said: "The level of information at submission of the licence is not sufficient for us to be satisfied that as a matter of principle the proposal should go ahead."
Despite arguments by festival organisers that more detailed evacuation, traffic and flooding plans would be submitted once the licence was granted, members were not convinced concerns over public safety and disruption to residents were addressed.
A number of villagers raised strong concerns at the meeting about noise, flooding, high levels of traffic and the impact on the environment. Gill Singleton, of Snoll Hatch Road, collected 377 signatures on a petition against the plans, which has Glastonbury and Reading Festival organiser Vince Power at its heart. The 59-year-old said: "I'm glad the councillors did see sense and thought about the impact it would have on us villagers so I'm pleased for the residents. We have suffered from the Hop Farm for many years and I'm afraid this would have been the nail in the coffin if this had gone through."
Andy Barham, 64, of Fell Mead, agreed, saying noise levels would have been too high in a rural area. He added: "It is a beautiful place to be, you can't hear cars there and the birds are singing and that disturbs it."
Hop Farm owner Peter Bull said he was "60 per cent sure" they would be appealing the decision and stressed he wanted to work with the community. He said: "It has been controversial, it was nice to hear everybody's views. I haven't come in there to be a bad neighbour, hopefully in time we can prove to be a good neighbour but there is give and take on both sides.
"What people have got to realise is I'm picking up many years of neglect between the neighbours of the Hop Farm and relationships need time to build and so does trust."
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by Nomad, Tun Wells
Wednesday, January 28 2009, 10:14AM
“News is that the festival organisers have permission for a festival now -53,000 with 20,000 camping. I cannot wait.
The "East Peckham 377 signatures" are not invited to this party.”
by JP, Five Oak Green
Tuesday, November 25 2008, 8:18PM
“CM The only reason I didn't quite get my facts right was becasue I was skimming through the report because I was so cross, but the all important words came up CONCERT CANCELLED. I agree with GP if places like Reading and Glastonbury can put up with this sort of thing surely East Peckham can. All I see when I am at the Hop Farm is fields and more fields but not a built up area at all. For heavens sake all we are talking about is five days out of one whole year. Killjoy.”
by GP, E.Peckham
Tuesday, November 25 2008, 1:02PM
“If you are a Clash fan, CM, then you should be ashamed of yourself!
Strummer would be turning in his grave”
by GP, E.Peckham
Tuesday, November 25 2008, 12:59PM
“Well where would you suggest they hold the festival then!
Paddock wood rec! Or how about Matfield green.
Reading festival is twice as large and the land area is the same size as the hop farm! And it's only a 5min walk from the town centre so if they can cope every year i'm sure we can.
I don't know if you've ever been to bestival or Glastonbury, but they are held in areas of natural beauty, and the road infrastructure is nowhere near as good as this area!”
by CM, East Peckham
Monday, November 24 2008, 3:54PM
“GP, having "no life" I obviously have no hobbies for you to ruin either.
I do love the assumption that just because you don't want 53,000 in your back garden for 5 days, plus the associated bedlam that will bring, you are automatically an "OAP" (couldn't be further from the truth) and are to be a boring killjoy.
In it's place, I am sure it's a good idea, just happens that I don't think East Peckham/Paddock Wood is the place for a 5 day, 11am - 2am music festival.
And even if they bought Joe Strummer back from the dead and had the Clash headlining every day, I still wouldn't think it was the place to hold it.”
by GP, E.Peckham
Monday, November 24 2008, 12:54PM
“CM you obviously have no life!
I'd like to know what your hobbies are so we can ruin your plans for the summer!”
by CM, East Peckham
Monday, November 24 2008, 11:44AM
“I can't see that many people being bothered to leave the Hop Farm and go to East Peckham to buy anything so the only people that will benefit from this is Somerfield (hardly a nice little "local" store), maybe Watirose (again, a huge chain) and the Hop Farm itself who will be raking in the dosh from the bars/food stalls that are in the Hop Farm. These types of events are usually quite self sufficient so I can't really agree with all those bleating on about how it's going to do all the "small", "local" businesses in the area so much damage if it doesn't go ahead.
And as already said - why should the residents have to go away for 5 days (it's proposed to go on for 5 days, not 3 if you bother looking at what they have applied for) - are the Hop Farm going to foot the bill for it?!”
by JP, Five Oak Green
Friday, November 21 2008, 3:08PM
“Okay maybe 5 days for the festival was asking to much but I hope TW Borough Council are not going to refuse a three day festive (as per last year) because of a VERY small minority (377 only) of complaints from local residents. Unfortunately I missed the concerts last year due to a holiday which I have put off booking for next year until I know when the concerts are going to be held in 2009 as I don't want to miss it again. Believe you me, with everything that is going on at the moment the area is going to need something like this to bring money into the area. I have a suggestion for the 377 objectors....why don't you go away for the weekend and let people have fun.”
by Calum (19), east peckham
Friday, November 21 2008, 12:58PM
“I find it extremly frustrating that a small number of east peckhams old farts have managed to to ruin an amazing weekend for 50,000 people. The rejection a huge blow for the village, think of the money that small business's in EP would have made eg. chip shop, chinese, somerfields etc. I am young so i am not against fun and having a good time SO East Peckham oldies i leave you with my one finger salute. X”
by Jed Maxwell, Paddock Wode
Wednesday, November 19 2008, 11:10AM
“Uriah Heep! Now there's a name to conjure with (but not in front of the children please).”