Westminster Council's Planning Sub-Committee has given conditional approval to a plan to convert part of the Trocadero complex into a casino, despite objections from the Soho Society.
The committee considered the application on Tuesday, 30 September 2025. The proposal includes internal and external alterations to facilitate the casino use, along with ancillary bars and dining facilities. The application proposes the use of part of the basement, part of the ground and part of the first floors as a casino use with ancillary bars and dining facilities. The casino floorspace will total 3,388 sqm and have the capacity for 1,250 customers. A Class E (restaurant or retail) use is also planned for the ground floor, and external alterations to the facades, including a new canopy and refurbished windows and doors, are proposed for both Coventry Street and Rupert Street.
The Director of Town Planning and Building Control recommended granting conditional permission and listed building consent. The arguments in favour are detailed in the report for the Trocadero, which states that the proposed mixed use will retain a ground floor use which will serve visiting members of the public with an active street frontage, and that its operation, subject to conditions, would ensure that neighbouring occupiers would not be unduly harmed. The development is therefore recommended for approval in land use, design, amenity and highways terms.
However, the Soho Society voiced strong objections, citing concerns about the cumulative impact of another gambling venue in the area. The Soho Society objected to the proposal, stating that another large, alcohol-led gambling venue would create further problems caused by cumulative impact and anti-social behaviour.
They argued that the over-concentration of late-night entertainment uses would be contrary to City Plan policy 16, and the amalgamation of five separate units into a single gambling and drinking complex is well beyond the 500 m² threshold of the former TACE policies.
They also stated that Coventry Street already struggles with pedestrian congestion, noise and litter and a new 24-hour casino would actively undermine Westminster's 2023 Cumulative Impact Assessment (CIA) and conflicts with the Soho Neighbourhood Plan's aims to curb further stress on residential amenity and public realm.
The Public reports pack notes that the Soho Society raised concerns about the cumulative impact of another gambling venue in the area.
The Trocadero complex, located at 13 Coventry Street, sits within the Soho Conservation Area. The report states that the proposed alterations retain a strong central feature in the middle of the Corner House Extension façade with new doors and a new canopy replacing an existing one. The new shopfront to its right (east) is similar to its counterpart to the left (west) side of the frontage. The impact of this alteration is neutral in design and heritage asset terms. Two shopfronts on the Rupert Street façade are also to be replaced with an equally neutral impact. At first floor level, windows on the Corner House are to be replaced with double-glazing to the same detailed design as the existing single-glazed windows, and the first-floor windows of the Corner House Extension are to be refurbished with internal secondary glazing added. Overall, the proposals are acceptable in design and heritage asset terms, and accord with City Plan policies 38, 39, and 40, and with the Soho Neighbourhood Plan.
The Planning Sub-Committee (1) included Councillor Patrick Lilley (Deputy Cabinet Member for Economic Development, Lead Member for Soho and LGBTQ+ Champion) and Councillor Md Shamsed Chowdhury (Deputy Cabinet Member - Streets and Lead Member - Edgware Road Champion).
The specific conditions attached to the planning approval are detailed in the draft decision letter within the Public reports pack, such as a Servicing Management Plan and a BREEAM rating of 'Excellent' or higher. The full list of conditions can be found in the draft decision letter.
The agenda for the meeting shows that the committee also considered applications for Tate Britain, 45 St Martin's Lane, 2 Chesterfield Street, and Shaw House, but those were separate items.
