he printing company nightclub will be closed after the city council approves plans for a redevelopment of the music venue.
The former newspaper printing house was converted into a nightclub in 2017 and has become one of London‘s better music venues in the past five years.
Developer British Land submitted plans to the municipality last fall to redevelop the site into offices.
Southwark Council has now approved the plans meaning the popular music venue will now be redeveloped by British Land after consultation with the site’s current owners, Broadwick Live and the council.
There is currently no set date for the music venue’s closure, although a BBC Proms event will take place on September 3.
A report from the council states: “It is noted that a significant number of objections have been received regarding the loss of the club/music venue currently operating on the site. It is recognized that this use has been very successful.
“However, the use of events started as a temporary temporary (now) use in 2016 pending the development of the building within the master plan. It was never intended as permanent use of the site.”
The plans were approved despite 10,000 people signing a petition to keep the nightclub, which the council said would always be a temporary location.
British Land has said it will rebuild offices and shops on the land, which will create 2,000 to 3,000 new jobs for the area.
The redevelopment is part of the developer’s wider Canada Water Master Plan, which will create up to 3,000 new homes in the area.
Cllr Helen Dennis, Cabinet Member for Climate Emergency & Sustainable Development, said: “Southwark Council’s planning committee has unanimously approved British Land’s planning application for the development of the site of the former printing press in Canada Water, which has recently been temporarily used as a nightclub Printworks few years.
“The site is part of plans to build thousands of new homes, in particular hundreds of much-needed social rental housing, new open spaces, offices, a new public recreation center and places to shop, eat, drink and socialize.
“We know that one of the challenges of ‘meanwhile’ using vacant land is that people become very attached to the temporary use, but everyone involved with Printworks knew their time on the site was coming to an end and focused on keeping there as successfully as possible.
“We are delighted to be working with British Land and Printworks operator Broadwick Live to maintain a presence on the site which will build on the success of Printworks, ensuring current and new residents alike benefit from an ongoing cultural offering to Canada Water, which has been our intention from the start.”
A British Land spokesperson added: “We are delighted that Southwark Council has voted unanimously to grant planning permission for the Printworks.
“The redevelopment of the Printworks will result in the preservation and reuse of this iconic building, to create a best-in-class and flexible workplace, and in addition we intend to work with Broadwick Live and Southwark Council to to investigate whether we can maintain a cultural location in part of the Printing House.”