A DECISION has been made on a Cornwall surf and music festival's application to increase its overall capacity. 

Boardmasters Festival, which takes place at Watergate Bay in Newquay every year, has announced it has been granted permission from Cornwall Council to expand its capacity from 53,000 to 58,000 as of summer 2024. 

A licensing meeting held on Wednesday, February 14, granted organisers permission to expand the festival as of 2024, which is estimated to bring in £40m to the local economy each year.

Andrew Topham, Boardmasters CEO and Festival Organiser said: “We’re delighted that Cornwall Council has granted us permission to expand Boardmasters to a new total capacity of 58,000 from this summer. Thank you to Cornwall Council, the residents who took time to provide their valuable feedback and to all of the relevant parties who have supported us on this journey. 

"We have an incredible show lined up this year, with headliners Stormzy, Chase & Status and Sam Fender, and a wealth of music and surf talent. As always, we will continue our hard work to produce a world-class festival in Cornwall."

Local residents and businesses were invited to meet with festival organisers earlier this year, with feedback taken and questions answered during a two-day drop-in session, as part of a public consultation process.

A report submitted to Cornwall Council's licensing department before the meeting raised concerns about emergency evacuation, crowd management, potential strain on welfare facilities, traffic congestion, car park management, and weather preparedness at the upcoming festival.