Updated Blackweir Live Q&A (4.6.26)
First published 8th Jun, 2026This Q&A aims to answer some frequently asked questions about the forthcoming Blackweir Live concerts.
Residents with any additional questions or concerns can contact us for further information.
For details of how to get in touch, please visit: https://www.cardiff.gov.uk/ENG/Home/Contact-us/General-enquiries/Pages/default.aspx
Will there be concerts at Blackweir Fields this summer?
Yes. Five concerts will take place at Blackweir Fields this summer.
The ‘Blackweir Live’ shows include: The Cure (24th June), Teddy Swims (26th June), Lewis Capaldi (30th June & 1st July) and Pitbull (4th July).
Live music is central to our vision for Cardiff and the events will help cement the city’s status as a must-play destination for major artists, delivering significant economic benefits for the city, and providing the Council with vital income to enable us to continue investing in the city’s parks and delivering our Cardiff Music City work to support and develop the city’s music ecosystem.
Have these events got planning permission to go ahead?
Yes. Planning permission for events to take place at Blackweir Fields was granted at a Planning Committee meeting on Thursday June 4th, 2026.
How come Cardiff Council could apply for planning permission and make the decision on whether to grant planning permission. Isn’t that a conflict of interest?
Cardiff Council has to work within planning laws, policies and frameworks. Where the Council intends to use land, or undertake development, that requires formal planning permission, it must formally apply to the ‘Local Planning Authority’ for permission under the Town and Country Planning General Regulations 1992.
While Cardiff Council is also ‘the Local Planning Authority’, the Law allows it to be both the applicant and the decision‑maker. Appropriate processes are in place to ensure propriety.
The Council determined the application – as it would for any other development – in its regulatory role as the ‘Local Planning Authority’. This means following all due processes, including publicising the application, and concluding on the merits of the proposed development in an Officer report, in exactly the same way as it would for any other applicant.
Major applications submitted by the Council, like the application for Blackweir Fields, must be reported to the Planning Committee for Committee Members to make the final decision. This ensures that all decisions are the subject of appropriate public scrutiny.
The planning committee is made up from elected Councillors from across the political spectrum and is politically free to determine, based on objective evidence, whether a development should go ahead or not. These Councillors are advised by trained and qualified planning officers, who understand planning law and requirements for developments.
Having considered the Officer report, and debated the matter at the Planning Committee on 4th June 2026, members resolved to grant planning permission.
All decisions made by the Council, in its role as the Local Planning Authority, can be challenged through application to the High Court.
Will the public still be able to access Bute Park during the concerts?
Yes. A large proportion (over 80%) of the 130 acres that make up Bute Park will remain accessible to the public throughout this period.
Public access to Blackweir Fields will be restricted during the concerts and for a limited period either side to allow for set up and break down. Grassed areas including Coopers Field, the Orchard Lawn and the area around the Gorsedd Stone Circle will remain open.
Full details of all access changes will be clearly signposted within the park and made available on the Bute Park website.
Significant public green space in close proximity to the Blackweir event space remains available. 141.60 acres of public green space is available at nearby Pontcanna Fields with a further 68.89 acres available to the public at Llandaff Fields.
How long will Blackweir Fields be inaccessible for?
The event build is due to start on 8thJune 2026. The event breakdown is currently expected to be completed by 15th July.
Bute Park was gifted to the people of Cardiff and these events restrict access to paid ticket holders. How can that be fair?
Public access to green space is important. The Council understands this concern and the temporary impact these events have on other park users.
However, parks are non-statutory services and after significant and well-documented budget cuts over the last decade, and continuing pressures on local government budgets we have to balance public access with generating income that ensures we can continue to maintain and invest in the city’s parks.
We fully acknowledge that this is a balancing act – not just between income and access, but also Cardiff’s role as a capital city, renowned worldwide as an events city.
What is happening to the cricket matches that are normally played on Blackweir Fields?
Following dialogue with local cricket leagues and Cricket Wales, all cricket fixtures due to take place during these summer events have been relocated to other locations.
One cricket pitch at Blackweir Fields will remain in use for the full season, except for on the five concert dates.
What about the cricket pitches? How are they being protected from damage?
Holding concerts on sports pitches is not unusual and special care will be taken to protect the cricket squares from damage. The technology used at Blackweir will be the same as used when high profile cricket grounds such as Old Trafford host events.
A full turf-restoration plan will be in place for the outfields including aerating compacted soil and reseeding any worn patches.
As part of the bond agreement with the event operator, the costs of ‘making good’ any damage will be covered by the event operator.
What if it rains? How are the outfields being protected from long-term damage?
Ground conditions will be monitored daily and if extreme weather renders conditions untenable, a ‘last resort’ clause is in place in the contract with the event promoter that would allow for a reduction in the event footprint, or potentially cancellation, if judged to be necessary to prevent significant long-term damage.
Isn’t Bute Park listed? Has that been considered?
Yes, Bute Park is a Grade 1 listed park and this has been factored into all decisions around the events.
Since 2014 Bute Park has held a Green Flag Heritage Award in recognition of the high standard of management and interpretation of a site with local or national historic importance, highlighting how seriously we take the protection of this unique green space.
An independent heritage impact assessment has been completed which indicates that “the long-term impact on the registered historic park will be negligible.”
Cadw were also consulted during the planning application process.
Will any trees be removed to facilitate this year’s events?
No.
How will the flora and fauna in the park be protected?
The event promoters take their responsibility for working in Bute Park’s unique setting very seriously and careful consideration has been given to protecting the park environment.
Urban wildlife typically recovers once disturbance passes. However, steps being taken to ensure that any potential impact is minimised include:
- All lighting except security lighting will be turned off at 23.30pm.
- The stage orientation and lighting design will avoid shining powerful lights into tree canopies continuously, with downward directed lights focused on stage and crowd and with minimal overspill into the sky or woods.
- Tree protection zones will be in place around any vulnerable trees.
A programme of conservation work, delivered with the help of income generated by last summer’s Blackweir Live events, and aimed at improving the long-term health of Blackweir woods began earlier this year. The work aims to improve the long-term health of Blackweir woods, enhance biodiversity, improve the structure of the woodland and manage ash dieback to ensure public safety.
More information about this work is available here: https://www.cardiffnewsroom.co.uk/releases/c25/36704.html
What about the waxcap mushrooms that have been found on Blackweir Fields? How will they be protected?
Protective coverings will be put in place to ensure the continued health of the mycelium in the soil.
The waxcap population at Blackweir will be monitored regularly to assess any potential impact.
Will the Blackweir Live events impact on the Bute Park Community Orchard site?
No, the Community Orchard is outside the footprint of the event. Arrangements will be made to ensure that the orchard is protected with protective fencing and facilities to enable new trees to be watered will be available.
What about the noise?
Bute Park is a city centre park which hosts regular events, many of which feature live music. However, building on lessons learned during the first concerts at Blackweir last summer, a revised noise management plan has been developed.
The plan includes enhanced arrangements to monitor noise levels continually throughout the concerts (including during sound checks) and enable immediate action to reduce noise levels, if required.
Will there be temporary bridges placed over the dock feeder canal for this year’s events?
Yes. Four temporary pedestrian bridges will be installed over the dock feeder canal to enhance public safety. These bridges will be in the same locations as they were for last year’s concerts and will provide additional entry and exit routes for pedestrians.
The vast majority of the audience will enter and exit Blackweir Fields through Bute Park using entrances into the park at North Gate, Corbett Road, and through the West Gate on Castle Street.
The existing vehicle bridge close to the former ambulance station will also be overlaid with a temporary bridge. This temporary bridge will provide the additional strength needed for any larger vehicles requiring access to the event area.
This year, the ambulance station bridge will also provide an additional exit for pedestrians at the end of the concerts.
Will there be any road closures for these concerts?
Yes. Arrangements have been reviewed following last year’s concerts, and a revised traffic management plan will be implemented. This will include closures to sections of North Road, Boulevard de Nantes and Castle Street as well as roads within the Civic Centre on concert days.
Full details will be published ahead of the first concert.
What is the travel advice for people travelling to Cardiff for these concerts?
Full travel advice will be published ahead of the first concert.
People attending the concerts are strongly advised to plan their journey in advance, arrive in Cardiff early, use public transport if possible, and to walk or cycle if they live close by and are able.
Temporary cycle parking facilities, along with a dedicated drop-off zone, are to be provided this year in the Civic Centre.
Will the North Road cycleway be closed?
Some short-term temporary diversions of the cycleway will be in place to facilitate the event set up and break down. On concert days a short diversion via a like for like bi-directional alternative route, will be in place. All diversions will be clearly signposted.
Will the concerts have any impact on the Taff Trail?
No. The Taff Trail will remain open. Blackweir Bridge will also remain open. However, paths in the northern section of Bute Park will be closed on concert dates.
Full details will be clearly signposted within the park and made available on the Bute Park website.
Will the Council make money from these concerts?
Yes. Alongside other popular and well-established events which already take place in Bute Park, the concerts will provide vital income to enable the Council to continue investing in the city’s parks and maintaining the high standards in our green spaces that residents deserve.
Income from the events will also help us to continue delivering on our music city ambitions, supporting our grassroots venues and promoting the city as a music destination.
Income generated from last year’s Blackweir Live concerts has:
- contributed to the continued success of the ‘Little Gigs’ talent development scheme;
- provided capital funding to support Cardiff’s grassroots venues;
- helped deliver Cardiff’s wider Music City work;
- funded a programme of conservation work to increase biodiversity and improve the overall health of woodland at Blackweir;
- funded parks path upgrades; and
- funded a parks signage replacement programme.
What will the benefits of these concerts be to Cardiff’s economy?
The globally-renowned artists playing at Blackweir Live will draw visitors to the city and result in significant economic benefits.
Last year’s concerts at Blackweir Fields:
- contributed to a 15.6% rise in city centre sales in the month the concerts took place compared to the same period in 2024, with entertainment sector sales up 231.2% and food and drink sales up 20.1% (according to spend data from Beauclair – a specialist high street data company).
- supported 3,118 jobs, 95% of which were with Welsh businesses who formed part of the event’s supply chain.
- were attended by more than 100,000 people.
- raised more than £60,000 for charity.
When last summer’s concerts at Blackweir are combined with those that took place at Cardiff Castle:
- The events generated £64 million of net additional benefit to the UK economy.
- The concerts are estimated to have resulted in additional expenditure of circa £39m with businesses that operate in Cardiff, and £43m in Wales.
- The concerts stimulated over 700,000 additional visits to eating and drinking premises, including 133,000 visits to cafés / coffee shops, 363,000 to bars & pubs and 147,000 to restaurants.
