A CRANE used during the Glastonbury Festival will NOT be allowed to remain in place when the event is not running.

Arcadia Spectacular Ltd applied for retrospective planning permission to leave the crane - a centrepiece of the Pangea area at the 2019 festival - in place.

It is currently in position after the June festival, with the application asking for 'temporary' permission until August 2023.

However, planning officers at Mendip District Council (MDC) said although the crane would be allowed under permitted development rights, that would only apply for 28 days.

"Other than to state that the crane would be used during Glastonbury Festival, the application does not provide any justification as to why the crane base is required or how it would be used to justify its requirement, especially on a permanent basis until 2023," the refusal notice said.

"It has not be demonstrated why it cannot be a temporary removable structure that is only erected for the festival itself rather than left in position throughout the year, when it would serve no purpose. Nor has it been demonstrated why it needs to be on this site rather than clustered with other structures on the main festival site."

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The reasoning added: "Furthermore, due to the concerns of the visual and landscape impact of the crane base it is not considered to be provided in a manner and of a scale appropriate to this rural location."

Officers concluded the application should be refused on the grounds it is 'out of character' with the rural location and that 'no compelling argument for the need or benefit of the proposal has been provided that may override the visual and landscape harm identified'.

Arcadia Spectacular Ltd gave no more information on the application than to say the plan was for 'use of crane during Glastonbury Festival'.

It is understood the crane was installed at Worthy Farm after being moved from Avonmouth, near Bristol.