A billionaire London property tycoon has won his bid to turn part of the West End's landmark Trocadero complex into a mosque and community centre.
Muslims have struggled to find prayer facilities in the heart of the capital, with nearby mosques filled to capacity.
Asif Aziz plans to transform the former cinema inside the Trocadero, between Piccadilly Circus and Soho, into a prayer and community facility to be called the Piccadilly Community Centre.
Westminster City Council has granted permission to create a three-storey community facility, with a prayer capacity for 390 worshippers.
The application was submitted on behalf of the Aziz Foundation, which provides educational grants to Muslims.
Mr Aziz, the chief executive of Criterion Capital, which manages a £2 billon property portfolio across London and the South-East, bought the Trocadero for more than £220 million in 2005.
“Situated in vacant space in the basement of the Trocadero, the centre will provide an indispensable place for the Muslims who work, visit and live in the area and for whom prayer forms a cornerstone of their life,” the Aziz Foundation said.
“While the centre will provide an area for prayer, it is also anticipated that this development will nurture much-needed interfaith dialogue and in turn bring faith communities and community groups together utilising available space.
“As a foundation, we are proud to support the Piccadilly Community Centre, its prayer space, local community initiatives and interfaith work. British Muslims are part of the fabric of our society and contribute in the most essential and remarkable ways.”
The application involves a basement and sub-basement unit within the Trocadero complex, which is on the western side of Rupert Street.
The site was last used as a small two-screen cinema, called The Metro, which opened in the mid-1980s and had seating for 279 people.
“The unit has been vacant since 2006 and planning permission is sought for the use of this space as a place of worship and community centre, with a main community hall and prayer space at lower basement level for 250 worshippers and a mezzanine floor at upper basement level which will allow for up to 140 worshippers (a total capacity of 390),” the application states.
“Surveys of the three closest mosques to the site, Soho Mosque, Mayfair Mosque and Goodge Street Mosque have been provided which show that all three operate at full capacity and the applicant therefore argues that the proposal would provide an additional place of prayer to address the shortfall that currently exists within London’s West End.
“Despite concerns raised on noise grounds, given that queuing is unlikely to occur, and that the main hall is located at basement level, any noise associated with the use of the site as a prayer and community centre is expected to be well contained within the building itself and noise breakout is not anticipated. Subject to appropriate conditions, the proposal is considered to comply with relevant adopted City Plan 2019-2040 policies and is therefore recommended for approval.”
The plan's approval has been welcomed by many international visitors who made some of the 119 comments backing the application. Many said they had struggled to find places to pray.
When the cinema closed in 2006, the unit's lower ground floors were stripped-out and reverted to a shell.
The lobby area has been used for a variety of retail uses, including for the sales of theatre tickets.
Previous planning applications to turn it into a restaurant and minicab office had been rejected because they were not for cultural use.
The latest approval is on the grounds that it is not used solely as a mosque.
“The application, submitted by the Aziz Foundation, seeks planning permission for the use of the vacant former Metro cinema as a place of worship as a mosque and community centre,” the council planning application states.
“The main community hall and prayer space at lower basement level will allow for approximately 250 worshippers when used for Friday prayers.
“This space will not only be used for prayer, but also interfaith events, classes and other community uses. It is understood that bi-fold doors will be utilised to the rear of the community hall to allow for separation when more than one community use is taking place at the same time.
“A mezzanine space is provided at upper basement floor level together with toilets and ablution areas. The mezzanine space will allow for up to 140 worshippers.
“The opening times of the premises as proposed will be between 10am to 7pm Monday to Fridays. The applicant has also confirmed that the centre does not propose to hold special events for Ramadan, Eid or funerals.”
Four full-time staff would be employed at the premises, including a centre manager and an imam.
An application submitted in 2020 for a place of worship and community use for 1,000 worshippers was withdrawn over concerns about the impact of customers queuing on the highway.
The Trocadero opened as a music hall in 1882, it was later turned into a restaurant in 1896 and in 1965 became a dance hall.
Today, the entertainment complex consists of a hotel and restaurants.
Only the former cinema section relates to the planning application.
