The curtain has finally fallen on Battersea's Bridge Lane Theatre as planning chiefs last week gave the go-ahead for a new development on the site.

Wates Built Homes has finally won the battle to develop the site after having four planning applications turned down since it bought the land from the United Reform Church in 1994.

The theatre and church will now be demolished to make way for a block of 17 flats, a two-storey nursery school and underground car park.

Wates has previously failed in its attempts to build on the site because of concerns that the development would be too large and out of character with its surroundings.

It has since reduced the size of the scheme from 28 to 17 flats to fit in with council guidelines and quell local objections.

Opposition to the development is still strong among residents who feel it will ruin the appearance of the area and block out light to their houses.

Councillor Sadiq Khan, deputy leader of the Labour group, who voted against the plans, said: "Allowing the theatre to be demolished is outrageous.

'Horrible'

"The council is flagrantly disregarding its own unitary development plan by building horrible buildings in a conservation area. Also it is allowing an important theatre to be lost to the borough forever."

"The council is also disregarding concerns raised by local residents and its own policy to allow developers to make huge profits."

After the meeting last week, Colin Dunne from Wates assured Terry Adams from the Bridge Lane Theatre and Joan Brittain, headmistress of the Montessori School, that a positive agreement would be reached for all parties.

Both Mr Adams and Ms Brittain said that while they have had discussions with Wates, they have not received any concrete promises from the firm about its course of action.

Terry Adams said that he did receive an undertaking from Wates for them to provide £175,000 to help the cost of the theatre's relocation but this agreement expired in 1998 and Mr Adams claims that Wates has refused to renew it.

Mr Dunne said: "In principle we have agreed to provide funding but the final amount is subject to negotiation. The original figure of £175,000 may or may not be paid."

Size

He added that because the issue had dragged on for so many years and the size of the development has been reduced, Wates' profit margin is smaller than when the original figure was agreed.

He also said that the school had been allowed to use the site for four years rent-free and that it would have first refusal on the new school facility, although rent would be paid.

Terry Adams is still looking for a new location for the theatre and he estimates the cost of relocating and possible refurbishment will be more than £550,000.