Theatres Trust objects to plans for the former Saville Theatre

Theatres Trust has objected to a planning application put forward for the former Saville Theatre on Shaftesbury Avenue.

The Saville is vitally important as it offers the last remaining opportunity for a large-scale theatre in the world-renowned area known as ‘Theatreland’, which is a hugely important part of London’s cultural offer, a key driver of tourism, and a generator of significant local and national economic benefits.

The plans, if permitted, would see the theatre space reduced and relocated to subterranean levels with the majority of the Grade II listed building converted to hotel use.

Theatres Trust has objected to similar schemes for this site in the past and despite engaging proactively with the applicant, the current plans do not sufficiently overcome our concerns nor provide the best use of the building.

We firmly believe that a dedicated theatre scheme with larger-scale offer is clearly the optimal use for the Saville, and crucially would be a better long-term opportunity for cultural and economic growth in the West End. It would be a welcome addition to both the local area and the UK’s theatre eco-system.

We are confident that there are established theatre operators and producers who would be keen to take on an 800-1,000 seat venue and that this could be created without the additional non-cultural development and harm to the historic building required to create the proposed scheme.

If the scheme goes ahead in its current form, it is a missed opportunity to revitalise an important theatre with tangible economic and cultural placemaking benefits.

Read our full response to the planning application for further details of the case.

Photo credit: Ian Grundy