Two historic green spaces may host music festivals and events with tens of thousands of attendees despite fears of environmental damage.

On March 10 the City of London Corporation’s Epping Forest and Commons Committee will convene to decide on plans to open Epping Forest and Wanstead to a public tender process for possible events.

Campaigners are worried of the potential damage to ecological systems and wildlife.

It would not be the first-time campaigners had fought to save the sites from festivals.

In October last year, Lovebox organisers MAMA Festivals withdrew plans for a 50,000-person festival in Wanstead flats following community opposition.

Over the last few years, the City of London Corporation has worked to create infrastructure and legislation to accommodate such events.

In May 2018, the council adopted an Open Spaces Events Policy.

The policy allows for up to three large events – defined having over 5,000 attendees – per year across the Forest, with no more than one large event per year in any one location.

The policy also applies to Wanstead Flats.

The proposed tender process would invite a range of options for events including music concerts or festivals, exhibitions, food festivals and sporting events.

In council documents, councillors debating the proposals are warned the plans “are likely to attract significant negative local media coverage, given residents and users are more than likely to be worried about the impact of large crowds on their environment.”

A spokesperson for the City of London Corporation said: “These proposals will be discussed by elected Members at the Epping Forest and Commons Committee in March and a decision made in due course.”

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