Planning application to turn the theatre into a church submitted
The official deadline for comments has passed and thank you if you have sent in your objections. There are delays between you sending your comments and them appearing on the Lambeth planning portal as they have to be checked by Lambeth officers and personal data removed. The case officer only works Tues-Thurs and there has been a high volume of comments. If you are still concerned, you can email the objections to planning@lambeth.gov.uk, giving the reference and your name/address, tell them when you submitted and ask for confirmation. More info here.
But if you haven’t sent in your comment it’s still worth a try! There have been several issues with the Lambeth Planning Portal along the way so hopefully they will look kindly on “late” comments. Please email comments to planning@lambeth.gov.uk, giving the reference and your name/address.
We now have to wait for Lambeth officers to assess the application, taking into account the comments for and against, and make a recommendation. We then expect the application to go to Lambeth councillors on the Planning Committee for a decision. However after many months it has still not yet been scheduled. The next committee meetings are scheduled for Tues 24 Feb 2026, Tues 24 Mar 2026.
There’s more on our campaign page.
There is a ‘sleeping beauty’ at risk in Streatham, South London. A unique gem, a lavish Grade 2 listed theatre, designed and built in the late 1920s for an audience of over 2500 with a stage large enough to take the very biggest shows.
The Friends aim to save and reawaken her for the benefit of the community!
It would be a ‘quick win’ to bring this gorgeous theatre back to life as a multi-purpose arts, culture and entertainment centre for the community.
In his video message of support, Paul says: "Obviously trying to bring that theatre back into use as a theatre, which I think is really really important, mainly for the arts as a whole, it's important to have theatres in our community but also it's always worth mentioning youth engagement as well and how the arts are so important to our local
communities."
"While I welcome the decision of Ruach City Church to allow for the use of the Streatham Hill Theatre for community groups. I share the concerns of local residents and campaigners that the application is not ambitious enough regarding the level of support for theatre in Streatham.
We have an opportunity to bring theatre back to Streatham for good and restore the Streatham Hill Theatre to its former glory. It would be a tragedy if this opportunity slips from the hands of our community. In 2021, Lambeth Council adopted an ambitious local plan that offered support to increasing the arts and cultural offering in our area. I strongly welcomed this."
Further text at https://www.stevereedmp.co.uk/comment-streatham-hill-theatre-planning-application/
"I will be objecting to this application. I fully support the aims of [The Friends of] Streatham Hill Theatre to bring this Historic theatre back into theatrical and artistic use." From Facebook
“As both a proud South Londoner and an Ambassador for the Theatres Trust, I would so love to see this stunning community asset return as a theatre and cultural hub for all to enjoy. As the 22nd May deadline for objections for its change of use to a church is getting ever closer, I’m urging you to go to the Friends of Streatham Hill Theatre’s website at streathamhilltheatre.org/campaign to get the details of how to register your objection to this application with Lambeth Planning.“
Patron Simon Callow CBE – Actor, Writer and Directorsc “The 22nd May deadline for comments on the application to convert the magnificent Streatham Hill Theatre into a church is getting ever closer. I grew up in Streatham, and my visits to the panto there sowed the seeds of my love of theatre and ultimately my dream of becoming an actor. It was a place where the whole community came together to revel in the joys of live theatre in a fabulous building. I urge anyone who loves theatre, and who loves Streatham, to support the Friends of Streatham Hill Theatre in their efforts to bring this magnificent building back to life by opposing the application to change its use to a church. Act now! Go to 25/01141/FUL at Lambeth’s Planning Portal.”
“It’s nothing short of a scandal that the only performance space in the environs of Streatham is currently an old fire station on a back street in Norwood. This brilliant area NEEDS a hub like the Streatham Hill Theatre to benefit the whole community. We can’t allow this planning application for change of use to a church to happen. We must get this amazing building back for everyone to enjoy and to revitalise the High Street. Please visit the Friends of Streatham Hill Theatre’s website at streathamhilltheatre.org/campaign for details of how to make your objection to Lambeth Planning before their deadline of the 22nd May!“
Streatham resident and Friends’ Patron Renato Balsadonna said “For the past few years, the Friends of Streatham Hill Theatre have been passionately working to bring this beautiful historical venue back to life. We envision it as a vibrant hub for our diverse Streatham community offering the largest range of artistic expression. With Streatham lacking a proper theatre, and arts venues becoming harder to find, we really need to step up and stop this change of use happening! Please visit the Friends of Streatham Hill Theatre’s website to find details on how to object to this planning application before the 22nd May deadline.”
Patron Akram Khan MBE – Dancer, Choreographer & Director, Akram Khan Company
“Streatham Hill Theatre has hosted all kinds of dance including Ballet Rambert, the great Pavlova, flamenco and a host of classic musicals! I fully support the Friends of Streatham Hill Theatre in their efforts to bring dance and other genres back to this magnificent venue for S. London. The Friends need as many people as possible to oppose the current change of use application 25/01141/FUL at Lambeth’s Planning Portal before its 22nd May deadline!”
In a video message urging people to oppose this application, Friends' Patron and Streatham resident Catherine Russell said: "We need our high road in our community to have some good input into it. We don't need another church, but we don't want to lose this beautiful historical building, and we would love to have our theatre back."
** Catherine Russell is currently starring in "Harry Potter and the Cursed Child" at the Garrick Theatre.
Gyles Brandreth, Writer, Broadcaster, Actor and former MP
I love Streatham and we used to go a lot when I was a child in the 1950s … it is certainly where my love of panto was born! You can certainly count on me as a firm friend of the Streatham Hill Theatre with my ENTHUSIASTIC support for the theatre, its heritage and all that YOU are doing to celebrate the theatre.
Simon Callow, CBE. Actor, Writer and Director
“It’s wonderful that Historic England has included the Streatham Hill Theatre on its At Risk list, and almost as wonderful that they consider this fine and unique theatre a part of historic England - our heritage - which it most certainly and deservedly is.”
Simon Buteux, Partnerships Team Leader at Historic England
“Adding Streatham Hill Theatre to the Heritage at Risk Register recognises that this extraordinary listed building needs attention. This is an opportunity to take stock, and build strong relationships between all partners to work towards a better future for this cherished historic place.”
Sonia Winifred, Former Cabinet Member for Equalities and Culture, Lambeth Council
"As we come out of the Covid pandemic, it’s just the right time to save this beautiful building for the cultural benefit of our hard-hit, local community. I’ll do all I can to support its rejuvenation.”
Bell Ribeiro-Addy, Former MP for Streatham
"...welcome impetus to the campaign to revamp Streatham Hill Theatre as a community-led arts venue, which would ensure the preservation of our iconic theatre and be a big boost for Streatham's growing creative scene and local economy."
Sir Mark Rylance, Actor, Theatre Director and Playwright
“With the recent pandemic requiring more and more people to work from home rather than centrally in cities, perhaps many disregarded live performance spaces like ‘The Streatham Hill Theatre’ will become vital..."
Akram Khan, MBE, Dancer, Choreographer & Director
"It would be such a joy to be able to bring dance back to this South London gem of a theatre! To think that its stage is around the same size as the London Palladium’s is amazing, as is the history of dancers and dance troupes who performed there in its day. We must do everything we can to bring it back to life for new audiences to enjoy!!”
Claire Appleby, Architecture Adviser, Theatres Trust
"Theatres Trust believes it has the potential to be returned to use by the community in south London and to, once more, become an important, lively venue at the heart of the high street.”
Sadiq Khan, Mayor of London
“I hope others will join me in supporting this remarkable building being transformed into an inclusive, cultural space that will serve the local community for years to come.”
Our Patrons: Akram Khan MBE, Baroness Floella Benjamin OM DBE DL, Catherine Russell, David Harewood OBE, Jessica Thom, Jools Holland OBE DL, Paul Merton, Renato Balsadonna, Robert Glenister, Samira Ahmed, Simon Callow CBE & Sir Mark Rylance
Please join us and support our campaign. Explore our website to find out more about the building and our campaign. Sign up for newsletters, follow us on social media, and ask your friends and colleagues to do the same. Come along to our regular campaign meetings and other events.
