CIVIC chiefs have said they will not take legal action against a landowner ahead of two major Winchester events despite a planning dispute.

Just weeks before thousands are set to descend on Matterley Estate for music festival BoomTown Fair and assault course Tough Mudder, the South Downs National Park Authority (SDNPA) has refused a lawful development certificate for non-agricultural events there for more than 28 days a year.

It means that landowner Peveril Bruce could face legal issues if the rule is breached.

Now the city council has said it will not do anything that could prevent the two events going ahead and Mr Bruce said he is confident a resolution is on the cards.

Hampshire Chronicle:

Documents from his application show that leisure events in 2013 took up 125 days.

In June a spokeswoman for SDNPA said they would look to Winchester City Council, acting as its agent, to carry out enforcement for any breaches.

The city council has released a statement saying it will not take action that would jeopardise BoomTown, on August 13-16, this year.

The statement said: "The announcement is designed to clarify the position regarding this year’s event.

"Given the short time before the festival in August, and the substantial number of people who would be affected by any change to the event, the city council has agreed with the authority that any enforcement issues should not affect this year’s event which has been planned for many months."

A spokesman added that the same applies to Tough Mudder on September 26-27.

On Tuesday (July 21) a spokeswoman for SDNPA said: "Winchester City Council has said it is not going to carry out enforcement action beforehand. Once it happens we will ask the council to investigate."

The council also said it needs to have a discussion with SDNPA and Mr Bruce to consider the planning implications of future events.

Mr Bruce told the Chronicle: "As far as I'm concerned nothing has changed. We are still in negotiations with the authorities.

"I think it's very bizarre really. We continue to try and do something good for the area. They [the authorities] know all the facts and we are just surprised and continuing to negotiate. I'm confident that a resolution will come before long.

"I'm trying to work with the authorities, always have done, always will do."

A spokeswoman for Tough Mudder said: "We love coming to Winchester and the Matterley Bowl, and so do our participants.

"We're expecting our event to go ahead as it has for the last two years and will continue to work with both the venue and local council to ensure that this is the case for the 2015 event." Nobody from BoomTown was available for comment at the time of going to press.