Published: (Updated: )
Change of Use for SHT to Church submitted
Ruach City Church have submitted their application for change of use of Streatham Hill Theatre to a place of worship (ref. 25/01141/FUL at Lambeth Planning. It’s arrived just in time for the bank holiday weekend, with the closure date for comments being 22nd May 2025.
The application notes that it is contrary to the policies of the adopted Lambeth Local Plan 2020-2035 (adopted 2021) in particular Policy ED13: Visitor attractions, leisure, arts and cultural uses which seeks to retain leisure operations within the borough.
We will now kick off our prepared response, and will circulate details of the application, and our case for you to also comment on the application – see our dedicated campaign page.
If you can make one of our online campaign meetings please join us on Zoom.
** Please also pass on this message to your friends and neighbours, your local community groups, on WhatsApp, Facebook/Instagram/Threads/BlueSky/X, and any other social media. Then please watch out for further campaign messages and pass them on too.
Together we can save Streatham Hill Theatre for the wider community – this should not be its Final Act! **
From our latest newsletter at https://mailchi.mp/8537dc49bc8c/fosht-news-may-2025
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It’s outrageous that another church is planning on opening when religion is something that should be faded out of our lives forever. Especially as it involves closing a theatre!
I object to this change of use
The planning application/change of use is misleading to say the least and makes it impossible to pass comment on the functionality of the building if the church are to go forward with any theatrical use because the “current” and “proposed” drawings especially of the auditorium at Stalls level are exactly the same and both show the stage details as they were when in use as a bingo hall with a cafe/bar on stage and a kitchen on one side of the wings. These do not show how a reconfigured stage with those elements removed would look like. The church have not fulfilled their aims for stage use at the Gaumont State theatre in Kilburn which they still mention on their website having bought the theatre 18 years ago so the comments about the Streatham Hill theatre being used by commercial organisations for theatrical use are meaningless. Plans should be shown to honour their commitment to fulfilling their comments within the application that the stage will be suitable for such use and not just a box on the stage for church services.
Thanks Martin. This application is purely for a “change of use” which is about the planning class the building is – changing from a bingo hall to a church needs permission. They haven’t applied for any changes to the fabric of the building so the before and after would be the same, though they do mention costs of works at less than £2m. They did some work just before they opened but tell us that Lambeth said it didn’t need permission. If planning for a church is not given, a future theatre user could reinstate the stage – the false stage and café could be removed (fairly easily as they were built to avoid damaging the listed the building). The parallels between Kilburn promises and actualities, and Streatham Hill, are important and will need to be considered.
There are other comments over on Nextdoor https://nextdoor.co.uk/p/HgYypJHmyRns?utm_source=share&extras=MTc1OTIxODY5MDA5NTQ%3D&ne_link_preview_links=&utm_campaign=1746379530801&share_action_id=fd751774-2056-4f8d-8ec5-b5cd8c1656b4
Radio Jackie has covered the news https://radiojackie.com/plans-have-been-submitted-to-lambeth-council-to-turn-historic-streatham-hill-theatre-into-a-church/
Steve Reed, MP for Streatham and Clapham North has posted his comments here https://www.stevereedmp.co.uk/comment-streatham-hill-theatre-planning-application/
He says as part of his comments “…this application goes against Lambeth Council’s local plan by not offering enough to support the performing arts in Streatham. I share the views of local residents and campaigners that both Streatham and the Streatham Hill Theatre would benefit significantly from the venue being used for commercial theatre…”
See Catherine Russell’s passionate comments sent from her dressing room at the Palace Theatre where she is appearing in ‘Harry Potter and the Cursed Child’ on YouTube https://youtube.com/shorts/vLBvbhotEIU
Martin Abrams – Councillor for Streatham St. Leonard’s has posted:
I will be objecting to this application. I fully support the aims of Streatham Hill Theatre to bring this Historic theatre back into theatrical and artistic use.
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The Stage has covered the situation online ‘Streatham Hill Theatre to become church under latest planning application’ at https://www.thestage.co.uk/news/news/streatham-hill-theatre-to-become-church-under-latest-planning-application
Renato Balsadona (Opera and Symphonic Conductor) supports the campaign for Streatham Hill Theatre – he is a Patron of the Friends, and a Streatham resident.
He has released this video message of support
https://youtube.com/shorts/2r0XPTnMuKM