COUNCIL bosses have curtailed BoomTown Fair's ambitions for 60,000 revcellers.

Organisers of the annual event held near Winchester wanted permission to increase numbers by 10,000 from the current 50,000.

But Winchester City Council refused amid fears of increased traffic issues and crime and disorder.

Peveril Bruce, the owner of the Matterley Estate where it is held, said he believed it was well able to cope with the new numbers.

Now organisers of the popular summer music event are hoping that an increase of 5,000 will get the green light.

Boomtown Festivals UK Ltd had applied to up its licence capacity alongside changes in conditions under a minor variation application.

In response the council said it questioned whether an increase of such size could be considered minor. Concerns had been raised about the potential for public nuisance from additional traffic.

The council said its decision was based on views of both police and the highways authority who felt that the increase could boost crime and public nuisance.

A second application to increase numbers by 5,000 is under consultation until April 19, with a decision due on April 26.

Farm owner Peveril Bruce said: “I’m confident that the Matterley Estate can cope with significantly greater capacity but the capacity levels are decided by Winchester City Council and their licensing committee.”

Mr Bruce added: “I’m in constant discussion with Winchester City Council and the authorities and that’s just the nature of the beast isn’t it, the way it is.

“In my view the estate is well able to cope with that capacity[10,000].”

In 2014 the festival was given permission to increase its capacity from 30,000 to 50,000.

It attracted a record 46,000 crowd last year but is subject to tough licensing regulations to minimise noise and environmental damage.

The festival sparked 70 complaints in 2012 and a council investigation the following year amid claims of excessive noise, but last year received fewer than half this number for a second year running.

This latest decision comes after the Chronicle reported how the Matterley Estate is battling to protect its two biggest events: the festival and assault course event Tough Mudder.

Last year civic chiefs limited non-agricultural use of the estate to 28 days per year, far fewer than it currently takes to build BoomTown.

Winchester City Council and South Downs National Park Authority allowed last year’s event to go ahead but warned Mr Bruce he must “consider the planning implications of future events.”

Due to the uncertainty over the venue’s future organisers of Tough Mudder pulled the venue for this year.

An application is due to be determined by South Downs National Park Authority this month.

A spokeswoman for BoomTown said: “We will continue to work with the authorities towards an alternative solution.”

A resident of a nearby village, who did not want to be named, said: “I think it’s excellent news and I think it’s first time that Winchester City Council have refused an application in respect of BoomTown and hopefully it’s a sign of things to come.”