A buff-tailed bee and the Odeon in Shaftesbury Avenue [Bee: Bernd Lang KN; Cinema: Rod Evan]

CONSERVATIONISTS – and a colony of rare bees – have won a planning battle to save a historic art deco playhouse.

A planning inspector ruled that Camden Council was correct in turning down a bid by Thai Square restaurant chain owner Haim Danous to redevelop The Odeon cinema in Shaftesbury Avenue, Covent Garden.

His property firm, Capitalstart Ltd, had hoped to create a new 10-storey, 94-bedroom luxury hotel on the site.

It would have included a three-storey-deep basement for a health spa, four cinema screens and a roof terrace bar built above.

Only a historic facade by sculptor Gilbert Bayes would have been retained. Camden’s refusal to grant building consent in July 2019, led to an appeal, which has now been thrown out by planning inspector Tom Gilbert-Woodridge.

He had heard evidence from the Covent Garden Community Association, listed building expert architect Paul Velluet, and the Theatre Trust, in support of the Town Hall’s original decision.

Tom Clarke, from the Theatre Trust, said: “An existing West End theatre operator has confirmed that they believe the site to represent the only remaining opportunity in the West End to revive a large-scale theatre space, noting its ideal location, footprint and volume for large-scale productions.”

The Grade II-listed building dates from 1931 when it opened as the Saville Theatre.

After a spell in the 1960s, when it was owned by The Beatles manager Brian Epstein and hosted gigs by bands including the Fab Four themselves, The Who and The Rolling Stones, the theatre was converted into a cinema.

The appeal hearing also heard that a proposed two-storey roof extension would harm a bee colony in Phoenix Gardens, a public open space behind the building.

It is home to 10 different species of bee including the buff-tailed and hairy-footed bumble bees – which rely on spring sunshine that would be blocked out if the work went ahead.

“The garden is a patchwork of shade and sun as a result of neighbouring buildings and we manage the garden to maximise the areas of sunlight to provide habitat,” managers told the inquiry.

“With the present elevation of the Odeon, these facilities receive adequate sunlight. With the proposed increase of 10 metres in height, it will be completely overshadowed except for a brief window in high summer.”

DID YOU KNOW? Phoenix Community Garden was a heavily-used location in the festive film, Last Christmas

In his verdict, Mr Gilbert-Woodridge said it was part of a wave of venue construction from the 1880s to the 1930s which led to the area’s “Theatreland” tag.

The frieze by Bayes, based on “Drama Through The Ages”, has become a West End landmark.

Mr Gilbert-Woodridge noted Historic England had described it as “one of the largest and most important works of public sculpture of its time”. In the application turned down by the Town Hall, planning consultants Iceni stated that refurbishing the building as it is would be unviable.

They added that leaving the cinema in its present state would mean it was beyond saving in the future.

“The building has undergone significant conversion work that has left little of the original theatre intact and has deteriorated to a state of disrepair,” it said, adding that there needed to be a comprehensive refurbishment to bring the building back to life.

The consultants had argued that a ground-floor restaurant and bar would form a “cultural heart” and would help the area’s nighttime economy.