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A BID by campaigners to ban the Wireless Festival in Finsbury Park has been thrown out by a judge.

A two-day High Court hearing took place last week to determine whether the three-day festival should go ahead next month, following legal action brought by the Friends of Finsbury Park.

The Friends claimed Haringey Council did not have the authority to allow a festival the size of Wireless, which can attract 50,000 people a day, to be held in a public park.

Their solicitor, Susan Ring, had identified an article in the Greater London Parks and Open Spaces Act (1967) that states that open park space enclosed for entertainment may not exceed “one acre or one tenth of the open space”.

The Friends also challenged the council on the basis that the consultation process was “flawed”, but their case was dismissed on all grounds.

Friends chairman Tom Palin said the group was “disappointed” but would appeal the decision.

“It was going to be difficult with Wireless being just three weeks away,” he said. “The pressure was on the judge to come up with a decision on the 1967 Act. That’s a massive thing for a judge to commit to, and the council would have appealed. Time had run out on us somewhat.

“But we’ve set a ball rolling and the judge said the grounds are arguable. We can appeal and we are waiting for the written decision. It has generated nationwide interest from other parks organisations and some of them are taking councils to court on similar grounds.

“We believe the act should be adhered to.”

The Friends have argued that Wireless, which this year features sets by DJs Calvin Harris and Chase & Status, has grown too big for the park and has caused “severe damage”, destroying grass areas and turning them into “dusty scrubland”.

And they fear further events could take place in the park after fresh planning applications appear­ed for “a weekend of rave and drum and bass festivals” in September with a capacity of 10,000.

They have raised £11,000 through crowdfunding to pay for their legal challenge.

Mr Palin added: “Events like this should not be in a park. They should be in an arena. We understand the council’s need to make money, but [putting on] these events shows total disregard for residents.”

But Haringey environment chief Councillor Peray Ahmet welcomed the judge’s decision.

“We are pleased with today’s ruling, which means that large-scale live music events in Finsbury Park and open spaces across London are no longer under threat,” she said.

“Events like Wireless make a huge contribution to London’s cultural scene and in Haringey bring in hundreds of thousands of pounds, which is spent improving our parks and attracting more visitors.

“We will continue to work with residents and event organisers to ensure the Wireless Festival is safe and enjoyable for all.”

Wireless Festival organiser Melvin Benn has previously said campaigners fighting to cancel the event are “very straightforwardly” wrong, arguing that the festival takes up only 30 per cent of the park.

Mr Benn said security would be beefed up after gatecrashers stormed through a fence at last year’s festival.

Haringey Council argues that events such as Wireless helped pay for £400,000 worth of improvements to parks last year.