Festival plans reduced due to local objections

The organisers of the Cliff Top Music Festival in Highcliffe, Dorset, have scaled back plans to extend the event from one to three days after local residents raised objections.

Stir Events, the company behind the festival, is now seeking approval for a two-day event with shorter operating hours and additional measures to reduce its impact. Concerns from Highcliffe and Walkford Parish Council included noise, antisocial behaviour, and increased traffic.

Since its inception in 2023, the festival has grown from a free one-day community gathering attended by around 8,000 people. In 2024, ticketing, fencing, and a park-and-ride system were introduced to manage the event's popularity and associated parking and traffic pressures.

Mandy Polkey of Stir Events emphasised the organisations commitment to addressing feedback: "Each year we have acted promptly on feedback, strengthened our management plans, and worked hard to deliver a safe, enjoyable and well-run community event for Highcliffe."

The upcoming festival in September 2026 will have 4,500 tickets available per day on the 5th and 6th, featuring performances by Robert Arkins' Commitments and the Fleetwood Mac Experience. Last year, the event drew 2,500 attendees.

The parish council stated that the festival already operated "just within the margin of tolerance" and that expanding the event would push its impact "far beyond that margin." In response, Stir Events has addressed 19 specific concerns raised in 11 formal objections, implementing measures such as limiting noise to 65 decibels, positioning speakers towards the sea, and maintaining a 40-meter buffer from the nearest properties.

Organisers stressed their commitment to listening to local feedback and reducing any negative effects on the community while continuing to provide an engaging festival experience.

Author: Olivia Parker