Blackweir Live planning application has multiple conflicts of interest, claims objector

Martin Shipton

Cardiff council has multiple conflicts of interest that should prevent it from considering whether planning permission should be granted for the planned Blackweir Live concerts due to take place this Summer, according to an objection lodged with the authority’s planning department.

James Bischoff, of the group Friends of Bute Park, states in his objection: “There is a major conflict of interest between Cardiff council, which has a large Labour majority and is proposing this planning application, and the planning committee, 75% of whose members are Cardiff Labour councillors.

“In 2025 Cardiff council failed to apply for planning permission for Blackweir Live. They knew that they required planning permission to hold Blackweir Live in 2026 but they failed to apply until February 2026, long after the concerts were announced in late Summer 2025 and the tickets went on sale. An amended planning application was issued on May 6 2026. Why leave the application so late unless they feel planning permission will be given automatically by the same planning department that failed to follow up the lack of planning permission in 2025? It will take a very strong planning department to turn down the planning application when over 100,000 tickets have been sold for the series of concerts.

“What is the link between Cardiff council and Live Nation, which is building the Arena in the Bay. Cuffe and Taylor and Depot are listed as the promoters of Blackweir Live. Cuffe and Taylor are a dormant company but are part of Live Nation with the same directors as Life Nation (UK) Ltd. It should also be noted that AMG, which is doing the redevelopment of St David’s Hall in Cardiff, is also part of Live Nation and has three of the same directors. Depot has not posted any accounts at Companies House.

“Live Nation merged with Ticketmaster in 2010 and between them they control a large part of the music and concert promotion and ticket sales in the UK.

“Live Nation has been under intense legal and regulatory scrutiny. A landmark US Department of Justice case revealed widespread anti-competitive practices within the industry, which continues to influence ticket-selling regulations globally.

“The Planning Design and Access Statement is an impressive document but the Amended Information Statement issued on May 1 had many noticeable changes from the one issued on March 13. The amended edition no longer states Cardiff council owns Bute Park. Bute Park was given to the people of Cardiff by the Marquess of Bute in 1947.

“The figures produced for the numbers attending and the profits made are an excellent example of how true the saying made popular by Mark Twain is today: ‘Lies, Damned Lies and Statistics.’

“Firstly, Cardiff council, even when an FoI request was submitted, managed to hide the profit/loss made by Blackweir Live by only issuing the figures for the Cardiff Castle concerts and Blackweir Live together. It also seems impossible to find how much money from Blackweir Live was put into developing Bute Park.

‘Positive knock-on impacts’

The application states: ‘It’s clear that the events which took place in 2025 provided a significant draw to the city, which provided many positive knock-on impacts to local businesses and the continued recognition of the city as a major destination for live music events.. Data indicates that, in the month the concerts took place, city centre sales increased by 15.6% compared to the same period in 2024, with entertainment sector sales up 231.2% and food and drink sales up 20.1%.

“This is an excellent example of what Mark Twain was saying. You have to view the figures below to get an explanation of why this statement is a manipulation of the facts.

2024

* 13 concerts were hosted in Cardiff Castle, with up to 130,000 tickets sold.

* 3 concerts were held in the Principality Stadium, with up to 210,000 tickets sold.

* In total, 340,000 tickets were sold.

2025

* 12 concerts were hosted in Cardiff Castle, with up to 120,000 tickets sold.

* 8 concerts were held in the Principality Stadium with up to 560,000 tickets sold.

* In total, 680,000 tickets were sold.

* 4 concerts were held at Blackweir, with 100,000 tickets sold.

* In total, 780,000 tickets were sold.

Mr Bischoff said: “I feel I can suggest that the events held at the Principality Stadium are likely to have had the major effect on the increased sales and revenue in the city centre. All 8 of the concerts held at the Principality Stadium were promoted by SJM Holdings and/or Live Nation. SJM Holdings and its director Mr S J Moran are listed as directors or shareholders of more than 10 subsidiaries of Live Nation. All tickets were sold through Live Nations Ticket Master Company (famed for its dynamic ticket pricing policy on the sale of Oasis tickets).

“In 2026 the sales and revenue for the city is likely to fall as SJM Holdings and Live Nation are only promoting two concerts in the Principality Stadium.

2026

The planned concerts for the same period of time:

* 20 concerts in Cardiff Castle with up to 200,000 tickets sold.

* 2 concerts in the Principality Stadium with up to 140,000 tickets sold.

* 5 concerts at Blackweir Live with up to 150,000 tickets sold.

* In total, up to 490,000 tickets will be sold

Mr Bischoff said: “‘Questions have been raised about the lack of concerts announced for the Principality Stadium for 2026, but the WRU has said there is no cause for concern.

“The two concerts scheduled are promoted by either Live Nation or SJM Holdings. Live Nation in the guise of Cuffe and Taylor together with Depot have nearly doubled the number of concerts being held in Cardiff Castle to 20 and added in one Blackweir Live Concert.

“As the Lewis Capaldi tickets for his concert at Blackweir Live sold out at 32,500 and they have nearly sold out a second date, why weren’t the concerts transferred to the Principality Stadium?

“Could this failure to arrange concerts at the Principality Stadium by Live Nation/SJM Holdings be because Cardiff council does not get the revenue from the Principality Stadium that the WRU receives, whereas the council receives an unknown percentage from both Cardiff Castle and Blackweir Live events. Cardiff council wants to partner up with Live Nation because they are building the new arena in the Bay and are using AMG to refurbish St David’s Hall [in Cardiff city centre].”

Impartial

Mr Bischoff’s letter of objection concludes: “How can Cardiff council’s planning committee give an objective and impartial response to a planning application from Cardiff council on a project that was led by the former leader of Cardiff council, Huw Thomas [elected this month as an MS?”

The planning committee may consider the application at its next meeting on June 4.