Residents fear hot air balloons could crash into their houses and nearby roads if a planned Leicester festival is approved.
Proposals to host a three-day celebration in Victoria Park every June were heard by Leicester City Council’s Licensing Hearings Committee on Wednesday (February 18).
The festival, organised by Show Time Events Group Ltd, would see around 30 hot air balloons take off twice daily between Friday, June 19 and Sunday, June 21, at 6am and 7pm. Licensing documents also outline plans for fireworks, a funfair, live music and alcohol sales.
The company estimated the event could attract up to 10,000 visitors per day.
However, neighbours living near the park have objected on grounds of public safety and prevention of nuisance, raising concerns that balloons could drift into nearby homes and roads.
In written objections submitted to the council, residents described the proposals as “tempting fate” and argued that a city-centre location “cannot be wise”.
One resident pointed out that hot air balloon launches from city parks were “a health and safety nightmare” before being banned.
They said: “Balloons struggled to get upright without being blown over. More importantly, they didn’t rise directly upwards but were blown at sometimes alarmingly low levels, clipping trees and leaving homeowners fearing for their chimneys.
“I remember one resident in a St Leonards Court upper flat seeing a balloon fly past at eye level.”
In response, Show Time Events Group Ltd assured councillors that all pilots are experienced professionals with between 10 and 15 years in ballooning. Organisers added that flights would not go ahead in unsafe weather conditions.
Despite Victoria Park having previously hosted major events such as BBC Radio 2 in the Park 2023 and a recent Kasabian homecoming concert, noise was another key concern raised by neighbours.
Sally Williams, speaking on behalf of the Friends of Clarendon Park, told the committee that the scale and duration of the event would be overwhelming for locals.
She said: “It’s just too long for a park that’s enclosed by houses.”
“It is hard to describe what it feels like when you have got to face day after day of fairly relentless noise that you can’t get away from – because you would normally go to the park to escape it.”
The council’s noise team has requested that a detailed noise management plan be put in place and that music levels do not exceed 65 decibels.
Plans for a fireworks display at 10.15pm, which would be launched from an area close to a wildlife zone within the park, were also met with objections.
Councillor Patrick Kitterick urged the committee to reject the fireworks, if nothing else.
He told members: “It is a haven for wildlife in the city – if you blast some fireworks in the middle of the night it’s so ununderstanding of the area.”
He also argued that residents had not been properly consulted.
“The communication about this has been appalling. The festival and events unit has basically refused to speak to residents to express their concerns.
“The lack of consultation leaves us with fears about future communication. It seems to be doing the minimum possible.”
Organisers told the committee they would hold a meeting with neighbours to address their worries.
The licensing committee is expected to make a decision on the application next week. Members can approve the licence as submitted, grant it with conditions, or refuse it entirely.
