Plans to increase the audience capacity at the refurbished Hippodrome, in Brighton, are due to go before councillors next week.
Brighton and Hove City Council’s Planning Committee is being advised to approve the changes to the Hippodrome’s existing planning permission which was granted in July 2024.
The latest proposal is due to go before councillors on Wednesday 1 April.
As well as increasing the capacity from 1,800 to 2,300 at the Middle Street venue, the committee is also asked to remove rehearsal space in the fly tower, a restaurant with a rooftop bar and members’ club with an external terrace.
Hippodrome owner Matsim also wants to alter the roof plans, widen the fire escape, remove the entrance portico and replace it with a decorative surround and make tweaks to the required timings of restoration steps.
The building is Grade II* listed and remains on the Historic England and Theatres Trust “at risk” register, having been empty for 20 years, even though it now has a new roof and dry rot has been removed.
Increasing audience capacity is linked with a live music operator signing a contract to take on the venue, believed to be Live Nation’s Academy Music Group.
The application includes a statement by Huw James, director of ECE Planning, saying that the proposed changes were intended to suit the operator, with the original application having been designed to be flexible.
Mr James said: “An operator has since been found and the requirements for the development are now better understood.
“The design changes proposed by this application are intended to better align the planning conditions and approved plans with this updated development description and the operator’s requirements.”
Once the structural work has been completed, the site will be handed over to the new operator to fit out and complete the building, ready for operation.
The council has received 40 objections from 19 individuals and a group called the Old Town Alliance.
The Old Town Alliance said: “Given that the council has already accepted that this development creates amenity harm, any claimed public-realm benefit must include direct, physical mitigation for the residents most affected.
“We therefore formally request that a … contribution be secured to require the operator to fund, instal and permanently maintain security gating at the entrances to the Ship Street Gardens twitten.
“This twitten will serve as a primary dispersal route for up to 2,300 patrons. Without gating, it is highly vulnerable to late-night congregation, noise, anti-social behaviour and loss of residential privacy.”
An anonymous objector, whose details were redacted by the council, said: “Being in favour of the Hippodrome coming back to life, the 11pm licence would be acceptable when managed correctly and as neighbours we want to have a good relationship with the venue.”
The objector said that proposed 2am closing at times would be “detrimental to the whole area”, adding: “The morning aftermath will be experienced by locals and visitors alike.”
The council’s Planning Committee is due to meet at Hove Town Hall at 2pm on Wednesday 1 April. The meeting is scheduled to be webcast.
Thumbs up to this development, if the neighbours complain remind them they decided to live in the entertainment centre of Brighton…next thing it will be seagull removal because of their squawking.
Living in city centres doesn’t mean you’re not afforded the right to non asb and able to sleep. This is an.ill thought out plan in a conservation area by a operator with a pretty bad track record. It used to be a theatre, which attracts a very different crowd to djs and a 12am license every night. The capacity and licensing hours are a joke and Brigjton Police are going to be massively called upon I’m sure. Love the seagulls squawking