Union Yard plan for Union Theatre and restaurants gets green light

Last year Network Rail received planning permission to turn the arches – formerly occupied by Rocketvan, Academy Costumes and other small businesses – into office space.

More than 10,000 people signed an online petition calling on the rail infrastructure firm to save the cluster of local businesses which included the Union Theatre.

This year – in a reversal of its previous insistence that office space was the only viable use for the arches – Network Rail submitted new plans for a restaurant-led scheme on the same site.

The latest planning application was approved last week by Southwark Council planning officers.

Now the Union Theatre will have a new home on the opposite side of the street to its current premises as part of the Union Yard project.

Union Yard includes five arches under the Blackfriars to Elephant & Castle line. Two arches will be devoted to the theatre whilst three others will be converted to restaurant use.