A group of campaigners have criticised plans which could see a Grade II listed theatre in South London permanently converted into a church.
Ruach City Church has submitted a Change of Use planning application to Lambeth Council to turn Streatham Hill Theatre into a place of worship.
The Friends of Streatham Hill Theatre has urged residents to object to the planning application as they want to restore the now-closed theatre back to its original use and reopen it as a performance venue again.
The Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) has approached Ruach City Church for comment.
David Harvey, chairman of the Friends of Streatham Hill Theatre, said: “It would be a tragedy if the opportunity to return this beautiful building to its intended use were lost. We have been working on this for years with a recognised theatre operator wishing to buy the theatre, with shows at the ready and access to the funds needed for its full renovation.
“We have huge support for our plans locally, with residents and businesses wanting the theatre to be at the centre of a revitalised High Road, which would encourage audiences from surrounding areas and beyond.”
The 2,800-capacity theatre first opened in 1929 and hosted pre and post West End productions before closing down in 1962. After this, the theatre became a Bingo hall which eventually closed in 2017.
The Friends of Streatham Hill Theatre says it had been working on plans since 2017 to bring the venue back into its former use and had wanted to buy the theatre before it was sold to the church in 2023.
The group says it has a commercial operator which is being led by Thom Southerland, Artistic Director of MAST and Mayflower Theatre in Southampton, and remain keen to revive theatrical production at the theatre, while working together with the community.
Residents have until Thursday (May 22) to have their say on the plans by using Lambeth Council’s Planning Portal.
The group’s campaign has been backed by high-profile Patrons including actors Simon Callow CBE and Sir Mark Rylance, choreographer Akram Khan MBE, and Baroness Floella Benjamin.
The group went on to claim the church had been holding services at the venue without planning permission, and argue the church’s plans go against the council’s own Local Plan for the area.
Campaigners argue the council’s Local Plan supports the regeneration of the theatre to become “a major leisure and entertainment venue alongside workspace for creative and cultural industries”, and that change of use, or loss of existing spaces such as the theatre “will not be permitted”.
However according to Portobello Trust, which has submitted a planning statement on behalf of the church its application is “justified” and referred to legislation under the Town and Country Planning Order 2015, which gives local authorities the power to grant an application despite it going against a Local Plan.
According to the statement, the church hopes the theatre can become its new, permanent home and still wants to provide opportunities for new and existing community theatre groups and arts “in all their forms”.
Portobello Trust went on to state: “The use of the theatre as a place of worship is however not assured and is presently operating under agreement with [the London Borough of Lambeth] until such time that an acceptable arrangement of use, both as a place of worship and providing opportunities for community theatre and the arts, is agreed.”
Portobello Trust said remedial works to improve access and essential maintenance to the building, which was added onto Historic England’s Heritage at Risk register in 2021, had already begun.
