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Theatre boss 'heartbroken' by planning decision

BBC A man with grey hair and wearing a stripy blue and white shirt sitting in a theatre, with rows of blue audience chairs in soft focus behind him.BBC
Kevin Fraser said the decision by the Planning Inspectorate was "really sad"

The artistic director of a theatre that has been told it has to close down because it does not have the correct planning permission has said he is "heartbroken".

The Arden was constructed behind the existing Titchfield Festival Theatre in St Margaret's Lane, Titchfield, on land purchased in 2021,but, in November, Fareham Borough Council issued a Planning Enforcement Notice (PEN) because the building only had consent to be used for storage.

The theatre's appeal was dismissed on Tuesday.

Artistic director Kevin Fraser said they believed they had 'deemed permission' for the theatre, and that the Planning Inspectorate's decision was "really sad".

The exterior of the theatre in question. It's a white building with a grey roof and a mural of Shakespeare on one of the walls. It has glass doors at the entrance. In front are three visible parking spaces, with a silver car parked in one of them.
The council criticised the theatre's "limited" on-site parking

"We took very strong legal advice before we even put a spade in the ground," he said.

"Over the last 10, 12 years, part of our overall site had been occupied by us for theatrical purposes.

"After 10 years there is a thing called 'deemed permission' within planning law, and our legal advice was that we could claim deemed permission for that full theatre use... this isn't something that just was done on a whim."

Around 10 rows of blue audience seats inside the theatre, with a scaffolding on the right hand side.
The theatre has an audience capacity of 450

The theatre has been told it must cease performing within two months. It has seven months to fill in the orchestra pit and dismantle the stage, seating, and sound and lighting equipment.

Mr Fraser said they were taking legal advice on whether to challenge the decision, but that they would comply with the order.

"It's a great shame that this theatre will be lost to the local community," he said.

"It is a huge asset."

The stage of the theatre with scaffolding and half-built set on it. There are silver poles with stage lighting hanging from them on the ceiling, with a man carrying out some maintenance to one of them using a scissor lift.
The stage will need to be dismantled within seven months

Vice chairman of the council's planning committee Ian Bastable said he was "pleased" the appeal had been dismissed.

He said it was "extraordinary" construction of the theatre went ahead "despite concerns raised by the Council" about its size and "limited" on-site parking.

"Where development is carried out without planning permission, and is unacceptable in planning terms, this council will take action against it," he said.

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