New 'Minecraft' theatre approved in central London

A pop-up theatre that's been described as looking "like a Minecraft tree” will be built on the site of the infamous Marble Arch Mound in central London

It'll serve up to 500 customers and be open from 9am to midnight every day between April 1 next year to end of June 2028.

It'll be a temporary venue for the Arts Theatre while its Great Newport Street location undergoes a refurb

Westminster City Council’s planning committee voted unanimously to back the proposal during a meeting last night

Andrew Mills, is the head of operations for HH Production Limited, the applicant.

He said Marble Arch was the “perfect fit” with excellent transport links and multiple bus routes ensuring guests can access the theatre conveniently. Speaking at the planning meeting, he said: “We want to replace one cultural institution with another within the borough. We want to ensure continuity of our staff – our intention is to retain employment of the staff at the Arts Theatre with them transferring over to Marble Arch in due course.

“We want to offer a fresh and exciting cultural space for Londoners and visitors alike, drawing visitors to the iconic location of Marble Arch and the surrounding area.”

The theatre will be “highly sustainable” with a 20-year lifespan and will be reconstructed elsewhere after the two-year period, he said. It is not clear where it will be relocated.

The application had the backing of a number of local groups and organisations, including the Marble Arch Business Improvement District. Chair Kay Buxton said Marble Arch was home to an “emerging” arts and culture scene and residents had expressed support for such venues in the area.

She said it would bring more footfall to the western end of Oxford Street and transform an area known to be “intimidating and unwelcoming” after dark. All five councillors on the committee approved the plan and asked HH Productions to supply qualified security on the premises once it opens.

Members questioned the use of green cladding with cllr Patrick Lilley saying it looked “sad and a little bit plain” while cllr Jim Glen said it “looked like a Minecraft tree”.

A council planning officer explained a previous version with red cladding would have been a “blot” on the landscape and likely have drawn an objection by Historic England. He said the green design was “sensitive to the site’s surroundings”, adding the land was never intended to house a building and that the structure “complimented” the Grade I listed Marble Arch landmark.

Despite this, Historic England wrote in a submission to the council that the temporary structure would “detract from the dominance of the arch” while lighting and prominent signage would contribute to the harmful impact.

The building is expected to be 10m high and consist of an aluminium frame clad in lightweight material made from recycled fabric strips, according to the planning application for the site.

The strips will be green while stained or whitewashed recycled timber boards are expected to make up the base of the building.

The Arts Theatre on Great Newport Street is shutting its doors to undergo a 24-month refurb from 2026. Its final performance will be on December 31, 2025.

Hear all the latest news from across the UK on the hour, every hour, on Greatest Hits Radio on DAB, smartspeaker, at greatesthitsradio.co.uk, and on the Rayo app.