BOOMTOWN Fair has applied to increase its numbers a year ahead of schedule.

The event at Matterley Bowl near Winchester, has applied to the city council to raise the capacity of its 2015 event from 45,000 to 49,999.

A spokesperson for BoomTown said: “The festival already holds a licence that will allow the event to expand to this capacity in 2016 but we feel it is necessary to have the scope to extend this in 2015 purely to be able to accommodate all the staff, crew, artists, bands, walkabout performers and contractors it takes to put on an event as complex and intricate as BoomTown.”

They also said public sales will not increase and there are notices posted around the perimeter of the site. The deadline for public responses is December 24.

There will be a meeting for those that live close to the site on January 20.