A city centre building which has trained stars of stage and screen will be transformed into offices.

The building in Goswell Road, opposite the Barbican, started life as an office block before it was used as the HQ of the Italia Conti performing arts academy.

It has a listed historic wall behind it which has links to a medieval monastery in Clerkenwell.

The block is used as a school for children up to the age of 18 and has classrooms as well as performance and rehearsal space. It is surrounded by conservation areas in Islington and the Square Mile.

Italia Conti is relocating to Woking and has been renting the building until its new base is ready.

The building was sold in 2019 and has been marketed for three years, including approaches to developers, but there was no interest in using it for social infrastructure like its current role, Islington’s planning committee was told.

Whilst the scheme will see the loss of an educational facility, just six students who use the building are Islington residents and there will not be a shortfall of education in the borough, planning officer Nicholas Linford said.

Developers Boultbee Brooks Limited want to refurbish and extend the building and replace the eighth floor with a single-storey roof extension and roof terrace.

They are also planning to knock down an outside staircase at the back and replace it with a six-storey infill extension. It will include five per cent affordable workspace for 30 years on the ground floor.

English Heritage and the Greater London Archaeological Advisory Service said there could also be Roman finds buried below modern buildings as Goswell Road follows the old Roman road.

Islington Gazette: Grade II listed wall behind Italia Conti, Goswell Road, which uses materials from medieval Charterhouse but dates from 1600sGrade II listed wall behind Italia Conti, Goswell Road, which uses materials from medieval Charterhouse but dates from 1600s (Image: Islington Council)

Councillor Dave Poyser (Lab, Hillrise) said: “It’s very exciting there could be other finds.”

Committee chairman Cllr Martin Klute said: “This is a well designed scheme [but] it’s a shame that we’ve lost the Italia Conti.”

Labour councillor Paul Convery said things had gone full circle as the building was built as an office block.

“I can see why a building that was originally an office building then spatchcocked into performance uses isn’t very likely to be rented out again for education and performance,” he added.

The scheme was approved.