A Grade II-listed statue of Victorian actor-manager Sir Henry Irving looks set to be moved as part of a National Portrait Gallery refurbishment predicted to boost visitor numbers by about 500,000.
The plan to create a new entrance at the northern facade goes before Westminster council’s planning sub-committee next week.
The gallery said the statue, which was put in place in 1910, would be “directly in front of the new entrance steps” and should be moved closer to St Martin’s Lane.
Evidence submitted by the gallery said “one of the motivations for the proposal is to allow higher visitor numbers”.
The latest figures show more than 1.5 million people visited the gallery last year.
Planners advised councillors to grant “conditional permission” when they meet next Tuesday.
