Cambridge Rock Festival moves from Peterborough to Lotto winner's Horseheath Lodge Estate

The Cambridge Rock Festival is moving on from Peterborough and can take place next year at a £148m Lotto winner’s estate, despite noise complaints.

The event, which was held at the East of England Showground in 2022, has now been given permission for the four-day festival to take place once a year over at the Horseheath Lodge Estate, in Dean Road, to the east of Linton.

The estate is owned by Lotto winner Adrian Bayford, who won £148million in 2012.

The festival has taken place at the estate twice before in 2017 and 2018.

It had been due to take place there again this summer, but was cancelled after the organisers were told they would have to apply for a permanent licence rather than a temporary licence they had previously used.

The new licence allows up to 1,500 people to attend the event – including staff, contractors and entertainers.

It also allows for the festival to play live music and sell alcohol between 11am and 11pm.

At a meeting of the district council’s licensing sub-committee on July 25, David Roberts, from RBF Festivals Limited, said the festival was a “family friendly” event.

Mr Roberts said the festival offered a “huge range of different styles”, not just rock, including blues, folk, and even a flute based band set to perform next year.

He said the organisers considered the event to be “very community focused” highlighting that many volunteers lived within 10 miles of the event, and said there was also “considerable local involvement” from nearby companies and charities.

Mr Roberts said the festival was “not massive” and that each of the three stages used a sound system similar to one that might be used at a “village hall event”.

He also highlighted that the area the festival was proposed to take place was in a dip, which would help prevent sound travelling a great distance.

The application was also supported by Horseheath Parish Council, which said it had “very good communication” with the festival organisers, and that there had been no concerns raised in the area the last time the festival was held there.

The parish council said: “The event was clearly well managed with adequate stewards and no excess nose. Our residents have stated strong support for the rock festival being in Horseheath, the event is considered to be a positive asset in the parish.”

However, concerns were raised by Linton Parish Council which objected to the application for the annual event, arguing the festival could cause “severe disturbance to peace and sleep”.

Councillor John Bald, from the parish council said playing amplified music outside until 11pm “does have potential to create nuisance”.

It was highlighted that a hotline was proposed to be made available during the festival where people could contact the organisers themselves if there were any noise issues.

Cllr Bald also confirmed that to his knowledge there had been no complaints from people in Linton about the Cambridge Rock Festival when it was held at the site in 2017 and 2018.

After considering the application, the sub-committee confirmed it would be granting the licence.

Cllr Bradnam said she was sorry the festival had been cancelled, and that she hoped the event next year was successful.