South Wales Evening Post - 16 April 2007
Singleton Park could play host to up to 30,000 revellers as many as 10 times a year under new proposals. A campaign to stop it becoming a major pop, rock and dance music venue will be launched tomorrow night.
Swansea Neighbourhood Watch Association is urging Sketty and Brynmill residents to attend an urgent meeting at Bishop Gore School about the plans.
The city council's special events department wants to make changes to the park's existing licence which would see the capacity increase to 29,999.
Watch chairwoman, Ann Davies revealed under the plans, music events could be allowed on consecutive weekends.
There would be midnight finishes on Saturdays and the number of "large scale concerts" permitted would rise from five to 10 a year.
The 90-day notice to police would be replaced with "reasonable notice".
Mrs Davies said: "The disruption caused by events hits the park and its use by people."The normal use of the park is affected for a considerable time during the build-up and wind down of these events."
She also highlighted the potential damage to the park, especially if there was wet weather.
"From the residents' point of view the disruption to their normal family life is absolutely horrendous," said Mrs Davies.
"For those who live closest to the park it is dreadful.
"When there are big events you either have to go out for the entire day or you don't go out because you can't get back to park."
She claimed there was also severe noise disruption in Brynmill and Sketty.
The park is earmarked as the venue for the forthcoming Fflam Festival, featuring top Welsh rock bands Manic Street Preachers and Feeder as well other big acts such as Placebo and Keane.
Taking place over the weekend of July 14, it is expected to attract a huge 30,000 crowd.
Liz Slater, aged 33, of The Causeway, Sketty, said: "The more use they make of the park the better.
"Singleton is a beautiful park and the perfect place for big music events.
"Let's make it the Glastonbury of Wales."
Any objections to the plan should be made to Swansea Council's licensing department by April 24.
The Bishop Gore meeting gets underway at 7pm.
