PLANS for a major music festival at Norman Park have been thrown out by Bromley Council to the delight of homeowners.

After a day-long public meeting at Bromley Civic Centre on June 25, councillors refused to grant promoters 2converge an entertainment licence for a three-day music, skateboard and computer game event to be held at the Hayes Lane park in September.

The organisers hoped it would attract more than 120,000 young people but the council's licensing committee dismissed its choice of venue as “unsuitable” and said the convergence of so many young people on the area “would be seriously detrimental to such an extent that we consider it to be unacceptable”.

The committee also questioned 2converge's ability to ensure safety.

Hayes Councillor Anne Manning, who has been fighting against the festival, said: “This is fantastic news. We've had to work very hard in a short period of time to have this dismissed.”

The decision was also greeted with a sigh of relief from residents horrified at the thought of huge crowds creating havoc in the area.

Marie Green, 50, of Mead Way, said: “It was a horrendous idea to hold the festival here. It would have been a disaster for everyone.”

At a meeting on June 18, residents packed into Hayes village hall to voice concerns about traffic congestion, overnight camping in the area and alcohol and drug abuse by festival-goers.

But there is still a chance the festival will go ahead as the promoters of the event have a right of appeal against the decision to Bromley Magistrates' Court .

Attempts to contact the proposed festival's organisers, Skan Events, and promoters 2converge were unsuccessful.