City councillors agreed to ask for immediate 'spot listing' of the theatre at Graylingwell, as a building of architectural or historic interest.

The city planning and conservation committee decided to object to an application for conservation area consent for the demolition of the theatre, to make way for new development.

However, it did not oppose plans to knock down a number of other buildings, including a cottage and a former isolation unit.

The application, submitted by English Partnerships and Linden Downland, will be decided by Chichester District Council.

Committee chairman Cllr Richard Plowman said as well as concentrating on the theatre's historic context, the request to English Heritage also made a case for retention because of the its fine, unaltered interior, including the stage.

"The developers have said it would be too costly to preserve the building, yet they have also agreed it is sound, and more a case of redecoration than redevelopment," he added.

"The city council's position on this is clear – if there is a good business plan for the theatre, showing it can be operated successfully, we should make our best efforts to restore it and keep it."

Large numbers of organisations and groups have expressed an interest in using the theatre, including the Festival Theatre, the Chichester Festivities, and the university.

A report presented at the planning committee's meeting said the applicants admitted the theatre was a building of some architectural and historic interest, but considered in the context of similar buildings on former hospital sites throughout the country it was not unusual or particularly remarkable.

The applicants conceded the theatre's most positive attribute was its interior, which was 'comparatively richly decorated and largely unaltered', but believed this was not sufficient to make it worthy of listing.



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