Corsica Studios nightclub wins fight to stay in venue after council ordered it to leave

By Robert Firth, Local Democracy Reporter

A nightclub has won its fight to remain in its home months after it was told it would have to leave because of new flats planned within 10 metres of the venue.

Corsica Studios will be able to stay in its two railway arches in Elephant and Castle, Southwark council confirmed at a meeting yesterday.

The 500-capacity nightclub had been told that it would have to move up the road to protect future residents from noise nuisance, as part of the regeneration of the centre of Elephant and Castle.

But the club, which has been based in the railway arches by Elephant and Castle railway station since 2002, has now been told it can stay where it is after acoustic experts found a solution that prevents sound from leaking out from the venue.

A report presented to the council’s cabinet yesterday said that bosses at Corsica Studios objected to the proposed move after Labour-run Southwark council obtained a compulsory purchase order [CPO] allowing the authority to carry out the relocation plans in February.

Nightclub bosses told council officials the move “was not their preferred outcome” and asked the council to reassess if the club could remain where it was.

New acoustic surveys were carried out in summer and a solution was found that prevents sound leakage, which involves the construction of a “sound mitigation lobby” on the western side of the venue.

One of the two arches further up the road that Corsica Studios was due to move into will now become replacement premises for Beset, a logistics company which will have to move as part of the redevelopment of the Elephant and Castle area.

The other arch could become home to Latin American supermarket DistriAndina, which also has to relocate as part of the regeneration plans.

Councillors approved a new compulsory purchase order which will allow the so-called “sound mitigation lobby” to be built on the façade of Corsica Studios at the cabinet meeting.

Councillor Helen Dennis, cabinet member for sustainable development, said: “A solution has been found that will allow them to stay in situ with an improved acoustic solution that deals with the noise from the nightclub and any conflict there might be with residential in the future. That then itself has enabled an improved position for a number of small businesses that need to relocate into some of the arches.”

Councillor Kieron Williams, leader of Southwark council, said: “It’s really welcome that work has happened with Corsica to find a solution that helps them stay where they are.”

Pictured top: Corsica Studios in Elephant and Castle has won its fight to remain at its home (Picture: Google Street View)