London is on track to acquire its largest theatre, following the approval of plans for a 3,000-seat establishment.
The Greenwich Council has granted Troubadour Theatres the necessary permissions to proceed with this project, located on the eastern side of the Greenwich Peninsula in southeast London.
Featuring two auditoriums, each with a capacity of 1,500 seats, the new venue will surpass the London Coliseum in the West End, which currently holds 2,359 seats, making it the capital’s most significant theatre by capacity. Construction is anticipated to commence in June.
Troubadour, which operates venues in Wembley Park and Canary Wharf, expressed that this new development will enhance London’s cultural scene and “provide unforgettable experiences for audiences for many years ahead.”
Oliver Royds and Tristan Baker, co-founders and CEOs of the theatre production company, remarked, “Receiving planning approval for the new Troubadour Greenwich Peninsula Theatre is a significant achievement for us and an exciting new phase in our dedication to engaging, large-scale live performances.”
The duo launched the Canary Wharf location last October, which now hosts the inaugural theatrical version of The Hunger Games, while Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Starlight Express is currently staged at the Wembley location.
The planning permission is valid for a temporary duration of 10 years, after which the site, situated near the cable car station, is slated for the construction of residential high-rises in accordance with the Greenwich Peninsula Masterplan.
This approval was granted at a recent meeting of the council’s planning board.
Sylvia Williams, representing the Greenwich Millennium Village Residents’ Association, expressed support for the theatre initiative, describing it as a “valuable addition” to the cultural fabric of the Greenwich Peninsula, and encouraged the council to include a provision for local schools to utilize the theatre.
Rowley Gregg, the chief operating officer of Troubadour, highlighted that a “key desire” of the theatre is to give back to the community. He noted that the Troubadour Trust allocates 50p from each ticket sold at a Troubadour venue to support local initiatives through workshops, ticket programs for schools, and charitable organizations.
According to the discussion, the theatre is projected to take around nine months to complete once construction operations begin in June.
