Demolition of Intimate Theatre approved by Enfield Council
Theatres Trust responds to the announcement that Enfield Council has approved plans for the demolition of the Intimate Theatre, currently on our Theatres at Risk list.
Jon Morgan, Theatres Trust Director says:
Theatres Trust is extremely disappointed that the London Borough of Enfield’s Planning Committee has approved plans for the demolition and redevelopment of the Intimate Theatre. This will mean the loss of a valuable community venue that is both locally listed and registered as an Asset of Community Value.
The Intimate Theatre, one of 30 buildings on our Theatres at Risk register, is a landmark building in its local community and has a rich theatrical history. The first-ever complete play transmitted in full as an outside television broadcast from a London theatre by the BBC was recorded here and it has also played host to many big names such as Sir Roger Moore, Richard Attenborough, Nicholas Parsons and David Bowie. It has been considered under threat since the owner, St Monica’s Catholic Church, expressed its wish to redevelop the site to build a new parish hall and residential accommodation. The new plans will not only demolish a locally and historically important building, but they also will not provide any new theatre space, in spite of the theatre being in very active use by theatre groups for many years.
Theatres Trust believes the owners have not sufficiently demonstrated that retaining the building as a theatre would be unviable and that the demolition plans are in opposition to Enfield’s own Local Plan, which seeks to address an identified lack of arts and cultural services and venue provision in the borough, including studio and rehearsal spaces. In view of this and the strong local support to retain the theatre, we will be requesting that the application is called-in to the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, who has the power to take over planning applications rather than letting the local authority decide.
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