A petition to stop a music festival being hosted next summer at a nature reserve in north Ealing amassed over 1,000 signatures in 24 hours of being set-up.

The petition to 'Stop Ealing Council and Junction 2 Music Festival from destroying Horsenden Meadows' was started by Sean McCormack of Ealing Wildlife Group at 9:30pm on Monday, 20 December.

By Tuesday afternoon there were over 1,400 signatures.

The petition reported that Ealing Council was set to host Junction 2 music festival at Horsenden West meadows next summer, stating this would be 'disastrous' for the area.

However in a statement issued today in response to the petition, Ealing Council have said they believe that Horsenden Hill is not a suitable location for this event.

An Ealing Council spokesperson said: "Before any decisions are taken to allow events in our parks and open spaces we always consider the potential impact on our environment and the concerns of local residents and organisations.

"After consultation with local groups and carefully considering the potential impact on our wildlife, the council believes that Horsenden Hill is not a suitable location for this particular event.

"Proposals to hold events in Ealing's open spaces will always be subject to consultation and we know that not every open space will be suitable for every event proposed.

advertisement

"Ealing Council is committed to ensuring that we strike the right balance between maintaining biodiversity and keeping our green spaces open for all to enjoy.

"Ealing Council is proud of our record of hosting great events in our parks including Melas and carnivals, open air cinema, concerts and some larger festivals where we think the location is suitable."

Ealing Wildlife Group and Friends of Horsenden Hill issued a joint statement yesterday evening that they were: "angry and disappointed to have learned in recent days that Ealing Council has agreed to host Junction 2, a dance music festival with up to 15,000 attendees at the ecologically important meadows of Horsenden West.

"The proposal appears to have reached the event planning and approval stage, yet neither Ealing Wildlife Group (EWG) or Friends of Horsenden Hill (FOHH) have been consulted."

Horseden Hill is the largest single nature conservation site within the borough.

Located in Perivale, the site comprises of meadows, wetland and woodland habitat with Horsenden West, bordered by the Grand Union Canal, containing a mosaic of wildflower meadows, hedgerows and ponds.

Ealing Wildlife Group recently released 187 harvest mice on the site, with hundreds more scheduled for release in early 2022.

Horsenden Farm volunteer and local resident Sally Dalzell said: "These meadows are rich in wildlife and plant life including protected species.

"A festival with thousands of people will cause an environmental disaster and destroy the work done by specialists and volunteers in the last few years.

"Then there will be appalling disruption to the residents.

"The road access of Berkeley Ave and Horsenden Lane North is totally inadequate to accommodate such an event."

The house and techno focussed festival is set to take place on the jubilee bank holiday weekend of 3rd and 4th June, 2022 in London.

Junction 2 has not confirmed the location of their festival yet.