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Published Date: 21/08/2026

Category: News

Update on Planning Application

  

We have submitted a planning application which, if granted, will allow us to hold outdoor events in Gunnersbury Park for the next five years. This is a revised proposal, taking into account recent feedback from the Hounslow Planning Committee. 

Historically, Gunnersbury has needed to apply for individual planning applications for most of the outdoor events that happen in the Park. This is costly in both time and money and doesn’t provide the ability to forward plan beyond the next event.

That’s why, in December 2025, we submitted a ten year planning application which would mean we would have the ability to plan further in advance, create longer term relationships with our partners and design a balanced programme of events year on year. Ultimately, this proposal was amended after listening to our community and the planning committee, with the most significant change being a reduction in the duration of the application from 10 years to 5 years.

Our current proposal is for 19 days of live events in a calendar year, which is a reduction from 22. We have also committed that the set up and take down is no more than 115 days in total, including the building of the trackway (the temporary driveway that vehicles use to access the site). 

External Shot Back of Museum
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As a charity, Gunnersbury Museum and Park Development Trust is responsible for all elements of maintaining Gunnersbury Park: including emptying bins, mowing grass and sports pitches, maintain the ponds, the flower beds and the paths. We are also responsible for Gunnersbury Museum: ensuring that thousands of children can learn about their local history, developing SEND programming and maintaining the collection and archive that tells the stories of the people of Ealing and Hounslow.  

In 2025, our summer events made up a third of the income that is needed to maintain the Park and Museum. As heritage sites and parks face rising costs for services, wages and maintenance, and charitable funding sources become more competitive, this five year planning application gives us the opportunity to secure a predictable source of income. It will support us to continue to tell the stories of local people, connect with communities and schools, and secures the future of Gunnersbury Park & Museum. We feel that the amendments to this application are proportionate to the response of the community and councillors while recognising the need for the charity to generate vital commercial income into the future. 

“I think there’s a common misconception that should this application be granted people won’t be able to give us any feedback for five years. The truth is that this  application will give us security and confidence to create a great programme of events with something for everyone. We will still be subject to our licence agreement with Hounslow Council, and have committed to continuing an open dialogue with our community.”  Elizabeth Coningsby, Head of Commercial at Gunnersbury Park & Museum

Frequently Asked Questions

Over 80% of the Park remains open and accessible as usual during event setup, takedown, and live event days.

There will only be 19 days of live events, which could include concerts but also food festivals, fun runs and community events like Middlesex Pride. 

There are two bands of events to ensure a balanced programme. There would be a maximum of nine Band 1 events which have a capacity of 20,000-29,999 attendees and ten Band 2 events which are 3,500 – 19,999.

There are two bands of sound levels for the events. Band 1 is a maximum volume of 73db A weighted / 88db C weighted. Band 2 is a maximum volume 70db A weighted / 85db C weighted. Many of our concert providers voluntarily set lower maximum volumes. 

We work with local council officials, our concert providers and third party sound monitoring companies to ensure that we meet our commitments around sound. We will attend any local address to do a sound reading on request during the live events. 

Gunnersbury Museum & Park Development Trust (GMPDT) is the charity that looks after Gunnersbury Park and Gunnersbury Museum. Gunnersbury CIC is the wholly owned trading subsidiary of GMPDT, meaning that all revenue made by Gunnersbury CIC goes straight back to GMPDT to support the ongoing maintenance and improvement of the Park and Museum as well as community outreach and programming. 

All revenue generated by GMPDT / the CIC goes directly back to the maintenance and improvement of Gunnersbury Park and Museum. This includes everyday things like emptying bins, mowing the grass and keeping the doors of the Museum open. It also includes bigger improvement works such as path resurfacing.