Splendour In The Grass has confirmed that the event will be returning back to where it all began in Byron Bay this year.
However the much-loved festival will not be moving into the festival site they bought back in 2006, but instead will be relocating back to Belongil Fields where it was held before moving temporarily to Woodfordia in Queensland in 2009.
“Despite great efforts to have the festival at North Byron Parklands this year, we are yet to have a determination on the application.” said Splendour Co-Producer Jessica Ducrou. “In the meantime and after much consideration we are excited at the prospect of returning to the birth place of Splendour.”
Ducrou and her co-promoter Paul Piticco are still fighting against endless complaints, vitriol, and government bureaucracy which has up until now derailed the festivals ability to plan for the future and move into North Byron Parklands.
Back in 2006 the promoter duo formed a partnership with a number of other friends to find a place to set up a permanent festival site to host Splendour In The Grass and other festivals like it.
A two-day hearing was recently held by the Public Assessment Commission tasked with deciding the fate of the proposed festival site. The New South Wales Department of Planning has recommended the planning application be approved but decided to delegate the decision to the Assessment Commission.
A number of locals, including fellow Byron Bay promoter Peter Noble who runs Bluesfest, spoke out against North Byron Parklands plan during the hearings. Noble said to the committee “We’re not interested in doing large events or getting approval for large events above 30,000 people. We just don’t see that it’s necessary or even needed in our area.”
The dates for the 2012 event are Friday 27, Saturday 28 and Sunday 29 July.
A lineup announcement is expected in the coming months, but don’t expect to see Radiohead or The Stone Roses on the lineup. Despite being hotly rumoured the festival has officially ruled them out for 2012.
