Novello Theatre 5 Aldwych London WC2B 4LD Data via plota.co.uk

25/04246/LBC - Listed Building Consent Application Withdrawn

Proposal

Alterations to the internal layout of the fourth-floor 'Novello Flat'; installation of a circular kitchen window on the rear elevation; and reduction in the size of the ground floor mezzanine within the entrance lobby and adjacent meeting room. Data via plota.co.uk

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View original council record ↗Last checked 19 Oct 2026, 22:32

Street View

Application progress

✓

Received

23 Jun 2025

✓

Validated

14 Jul 2025

−

Withdrawn

15 Aug 2025

Withdrawn on 15 Aug 2025 · Last checked 19 Oct 2026

Documents 75

Statements & assessments 6

PDF NOVELLO FLAT AND OFFICES DESIGN STATEMENT REV C COMPRESSED Design and Access Statement · 14 Jul 2025 View ↗ PDF NOVELLO FLAT AND OFFICES HERITAGE STATEMENT REV C COMPRESSED Heritage Statement · 14 Jul 2025 View ↗ PDF NOVELLO FLAT AND OFFICES HERITAGE STATEMENT REV B COMPRESSED (2) Superseded document · 23 Jun 2025 View ↗ PDF NOVELLO FLAT AND WALDORF CHAMBERS - SUSTAINABLE DESIGN STATEMENT-REV A Heritage Statement · 23 Jun 2025 View ↗ PDF HERITAGE STATEMENT Heritage Statement · 23 Jun 2025 View ↗ PDF CONISBEE STRUCTURAL METHOD STATEMENT DEC 2018 A4 Background Papers · 23 Jun 2025 View ↗

Plans & drawings 52

Application forms 1

PDF APPLICATION FORM REDACTED Application Form · 23 Jun 2025 View ↗

Site constraints 10

Grade II listed: Novello Theatre

List entry 1066493 · The pin is inside its outline · 41 more listed buildings within 150 m (3 Grade I, 1 Grade II*, 36 Grade II)

Listed building consent is needed for work that affects the special interest of a listed building, inside or out, on top of planning permission. Setting can be a consideration for buildings nearby; there is no fixed radius.

Show the other 41 with distances

5 mThe Waldorf HotelGrade II
34 m15, Catherine Street Wc2Grade II
34 mDuchess TheatreGrade II
35 m40 and 42, Tavistock Street Wc2Grade II
44 m7 Lampstandards Numbered 1 to 7 (Consecutive)Grade II
46 m34-38, Tavistock Street Wc2Grade II
46 m17, Exeter Street Wc2Grade II
54 mInveresk HouseGrade II
56 mTheatre Royal Drury Lane and Attached Sir Augustus Harris Memorial Drinking FountainGrade I
58 m20-26, Wellington Street Wc2Grade II
61 mMarconi HouseGrade II
62 mThe Aldwych TheatreGrade II
63 m15, Tavistock Street Wc2Grade II
63 m32, Tavistock Street Wc2Grade II
65 mIndia HouseGrade II
69 m13, Tavistock Street Wc2Grade II
72 m30, Wellington Street Wc2Grade II
75 m11, TAVISTOCK STREET WC2 (See details for further address information)Grade II
87 m38, Wellington StreetGrade II
88 mThe Old Bell Public HouseGrade II
90 mLyceum TheatreGrade II*
99 m15 Exeter StreetGrade II
100 mLondon Transport MuseumGrade II
106 m41 and 43, Wellington Street Wc2Grade II
108 mLamp post opposite Theatre Royal, outside 29 Russell StreetGrade II
111 mLamp post outside 24 Russell StreetGrade II
112 mCrown Court Church (Church of Scotland)Grade II
113 mThe Fortune TheatreGrade II
119 mBruce HouseGrade II
121 mCharles H Fox Limited and Robert White and Sons Harper and Row LimitedGrade II
123 mSt Paul's Clergy HouseGrade II
130 mLamp post outside 34-43 Russell StreetGrade II
132 m355, Strand Wc2Grade II
135 m356-359, Strand Wc2Grade II
136 mRoyal Opera HouseGrade I
137 m8, Russell Street Wc2Grade II
138 mPair of K6 Telephone Kiosks Outside Bush House
141 mSomerset House and King's College Old BuildingGrade I
143 mLamp post outside 4-6 Russell StreetGrade II
143 mBush House Centre Block with flanking colonnadesGrade II
147 mLamp post outside 9 Burleigh StreetGrade II

Historic England ↗

Strand conservation area

Demolition needs planning permission and permitted development is restricted.

The council must give weight to preserving or enhancing the area's character and appearance. Not every council has published its boundaries as open data.

Council document ↗

2 Article 4 directions

Article 4 Basement Development Permitted Rights Removed · Article 4 Direction Class E To C3 In Central Activities Zone. Named permitted development rights are withdrawn here.

An Article 4 direction withdraws particular permitted development rights, so work that would normally need no application needs one here. Not every council has published its directions.

Archaeological priority area: City of Westminster APA 1.2

An assessment or field evaluation may be asked for before ground works.

The council or Historic England considers archaeology likely here. A desk-based assessment, and sometimes trial trenching, can be asked for with the application.

Air quality management area: Westminster AQMA

The council has declared the area as failing an air quality objective.

Schemes that add traffic, parking or combustion plant are assessed against the area's action plan and may need an air quality assessment.

Council record ↗

National infrastructure project 124 m away: Thames Tideway Tunnel

The site is 124 m from the project boundary. Waste water treatment, decided. The project page says whether consent was granted. Also within 2 km: London Strategic Heat Main Project (at pre-application, 345 m).

Nationally significant infrastructure projects (power stations, electricity lines, pipelines, major roads and railways, harbours, airports and reservoirs) are consented by a Secretary of State under the Planning Act 2008, after an examination by the Planning Inspectorate, rather than by the council. The boundary is the one the Inspectorate consults on and can change as the scheme does. Projects are shown within 2 km of the site.

Planning Inspectorate project page ↗

Town centre: West End

A designated centre in the London Plan.

Shops, services and active frontages are protected in centres, and main town centre uses are steered here first.

Central activities zone

The core of central London in the London Plan.

Offices, culture and the other strategic functions of the centre take priority over new housing here.

Also on the record

Inside the City of Westminster built-up area; Public transport access: PTAL 6b (excellent), TfL 2023, for the 100 m square.

Not affected

Outside flood zones 2 and 3 · Not green belt · No scheduled monument at the site

Checked on 1 November 2026. Historic England, the Environment Agency, Natural England, the Planning Inspectorate, Transport for London (public transport access levels, Powered by TfL Open Data, OGL v3.0, contains OS data © Crown copyright and database right 2025) and council datasets, Open Government Licence. A boundary can run through a site and the council holds the definitive record: confirm with the council before relying on this.

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Important details

Council: Westminster
Application type: Listed Building Consent Application
Postcode: WC2B 4LD
Received: 23 Jun 2025
Validated: 14 Jul 2025
Ward: St James's
Case officer: Show
Target decision: 8 Sept 2025
Decision: Application Withdrawn
Decision date: 15 Aug 2025
Applicant: Show
Agent: Delfont Mackintosh Theatres Ltd

Public comments

No public comments yet.

Last counted 19 Oct 2026

Read the comments on the council site ↗

Consultation & key dates

Alt. reference: PP-14118004
Planning Portal ref: PP-14118004
Comments by: 13 Aug 2025
Site or press notice: 23 Jul 2025
Env. assessment: No

Historical activity at this location

50 previous applications on record - archival context, not part of the live application.

This property

Previous applications at this address

2025 Approved

Amendments to planning permission dated 17 April 2024 (RN:23/05675/FULL) for alterations…

25/05479/NMA 2 Sep 2025

2025

Alterations to the internal layout of the fourth-floor 'Novello Flat'; installation of a…

25/05853/LBC 18 Aug 2025

2025 Refused

Amendments to planning permission dated 17 April 2024 (RN: 23/05675/FULL) for: Alteration…

25/04827/NMA 29 Jul 2025

2023 Approved

Internal and external alterations including new lift shaft within rear lightwell, new sta…

23/05676/LBC 17 Apr 2024

2023 Approved

Alterations including new lift shaft within rear lightwell, rear fourth floor extension…

23/05675/FULL 17 Apr 2024

2023 Approved

Creation of balcony-level Ladies WCs (converting current storeroom) and introduction of b…

23/02876/LBC 23 Jun 2023

2022 Approved

Reinstatement / restoration of Novello decorative scheme to two principal fourth floor ro…

22/00751/ADLBC 28 Feb 2022

2022 Approved

Details of Reinstatement / restoration of Novello decorative scheme, pursuant to conditio…

22/00720/ADFULL 24 Feb 2022

2021 Approved

Layout alterations to allow revised design of the apartment entrance lobby.

21/05438/LBC 25 Jan 2022

2021 Approved

Variation of condition 1 of planning permission dated 14 November 2019 (RN: 19/00248/FULL…

21/05296/FULL 24 Jan 2022

2021 Withdrawn

Remodelling of the internal entrance lobby to the Novello Flat.

21/08492/LBC 30 Dec 2021

2020 Approved

Variation of condition 1 of listed building consent dated 9 September 2020 (RN 20/01825/L…

20/03480/LBC 23 Nov 2020

2020 Approved

Variation of condition 1 of planning permission dated 14 November 2019 (RN 19/00248/FULL)…

20/03479/FULL 23 Nov 2020

2020 Approved

Variation of condition 1 of listed building consent dated 14 November 2019 (RN: 19/00249/…

20/01825/LBC 9 Sep 2020

2020 Withdrawn

Variation of condition 1 and 4(c) of listed building consent dated 14 November 2019 (RN…

20/00820/LBC 19 Jun 2020

2019 Approved

Removal of fourth floor plaster ceilings

19/09211/LBC 13 Jan 2020

2019

Details of new and altered windows, doors and rooflights, decorative internal plasterwork…

19/09986/ADLBC 20 Dec 2019

2019

Details of external windows, doors and rooflights, roof level statuary and shopfront and…

19/09983/ADFULL 20 Dec 2019

2019 Approved

Internal and external alterations to third and fourth floors and roof to create a single…

19/00249/LBC 14 Nov 2019

2019 Approved

Use of the third and fourth floor to residential (C3 Use). Internal and external alterati…

19/00248/FULL 14 Nov 2019

2019 Approved

Internal alterations to and refurbishment of Stage Door entrance lobby and office.

19/04157/LBC 5 Aug 2019

2019 Withdrawn

Refurbishment of Stage Door Area and installation of a new internal door to Stage Door Ke…

19/04156/FULL 24 Jul 2019

2019 Approved

Internal alterations including the addition of partitions within the Grand Circle and Dre…

19/02266/LBC 22 Jul 2019

2019 Approved

Internal alterations and refurbishment to the foyer box office.

19/03938/LBC 22 Jul 2019

2018 Approved

Improvements to main entrance steps.

18/02230/LBC 3 May 2018

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Westminster

Planning Authority Score

3.5/10

Below average

#221 of 296 councils

Relevant to this application:

Other decisions

Westminster is slower than most councils at deciding householder applications, ranking #258 out of 296. Only 28% of applications have the time limit extended, well below the 41% national average - the council usually decides on time. Westminster is also one of the strictest councils - it refuses more householder applications than almost any other, with only 81% approved vs 90% nationally.

One of the strictest councils

only 81% approved vs 90% nationally

These figures are council-wide context, not a prediction for this application. View full council performance

Westminster decision statistics

Based on MHCLG data, the year to March 2026

86%

Overall approval rate

Below avg (87%) #201 of 296

81%

Householder approved

Below avg (90%) #277 of 296

44%

Decided in 8 weeks

Below avg (63%) #258 of 296

28%

Extended time limit

Below avg (41%) #46 of 296

83%

Minor dwellings approved

12 decided (1-9 homes)

67%

Major dwellings approved

3 decided (10+ homes)

81%

Change of use approved

133 decided

4,602

Total decisions

648 refused in the year to March 2026

Novello Theatre 5 Aldwych London WC2B 4LD Data via plota.co.uk

Proposal

Application progress

Documents 75

Statements & assessments 6

Plans & drawings 52

Application forms 1

Other documents 16

Site constraints 10

Nearby new applications

Important details

Public comments

Consultation & key dates

Previous applications at this address

Nearby activity