A recent council report has revealed that a series of concerts held in a popular Cardiff park proceeded without the necessary planning permission.
The performances at Blackweir Fields, which featured artists such as Noah Kahan, Alanis Morissette, Slayer, and Stevie Wonder, attracted tens of thousands of attendees.
According to the Cardiff Council report, no application for planning permission was submitted in advance of the shows, nor was a certificate of lawfulness—a document determining whether planning permission is required—issued.
Despite the findings, the council has stated that it has decided against pursuing formal planning enforcement action against the event organizers.
The concert series, known as Blackweir Live, previously faced complaints from local residents, who organized a petition regarding the erection of large fences around the event site.
Cardiff Council has stated that the concerts were projected to contribute £35 million to the city’s economy, with the funds earmarked for improvements to parks and infrastructure.
The report indicated that without a planning permission application before the events and lacking a certificate of lawfulness, the organizers, Depot Live and Cuffe and Taylor, were “proceeding at risk.”
Planning regulations typically restrict temporary alterations to park usage to a maximum of 28 days annually without additional consent. The report found that Blackweir Fields was impacted for a total of 37 days, exceeding the permitted limit by nine days.
The report referenced a recent case in London where a resident successfully challenged her local authority in court, arguing that Lambeth Council lacked the appropriate planning permission for events held in Brockwell Park.
The report stated: “There have been no other temporary events in Blackweir Fields during this calendar year, but the result remains that the number of days exceeds that permitted.”
Council officers considered the possibility of enforcement action but ultimately recommended that “it would not be expedient for the council to take any formal enforcement action against the event organiser,” describing the breach as “minor.”
The report concluded by recommending that Cardiff Council and future event organizers apply for planning permission for any event exceeding the 28-day limit.
Cardiff Council clarified that the decision against Lambeth Council was rendered after the Blackweir Live gigs had already been approved and booked.
The council also noted that an events license had been previously granted for the concerts.
The council further stated: “While the setup and breakdown of the site exceeded the 28-day limit for temporary events, the concerts themselves stayed within that timeframe, which was why planning permission was not sought for such a temporary event.”
“The implications of the recent court judgement will now form part of a wider review of arrangements for future events in Cardiff.”
Depot Live and Cuffe and Taylor, the organizers, have declined to comment.
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