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Sadiq Khan today vowed to protect London's historic buildings from developers with new planning rules.

The Mayor said he is planning regulations which mean developers building flats near existing venues will be responsible for soundproofing sites.

It comes after more than 25,000 people signed a petition to save Mayfair's historic Curzon cinema, regularly used for film premieres, from being shut down over a noise dispute.

Developers 38 Curzon ltd, who are converting office space above the cinema into luxury flats, have complained of noise from films shown there.

They, and the owners of the building, Vevil International, say they want the cinema to stay in its current location but insist it is in breach of the terms of its lease and must remedy matters to deal with the noise affecting other parts of the building. The Curzon says soundproofing work would cost £500,000, which it cannot afford and would “never obtain approval for as the auditorium and surrounding walls are listed”, according to director of cinema development Rob Kenny.

The deadlock has resulted in a legal “action for forfeiture”, meaning the cinema faces surrendering its lease and vacating the building.

Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan said: “I intend to protect venues like the Curzon Mayfair by introducing an ‘Agent of Change’ rule into the next London Plan.

“That would mean developers building flats near existing venues will need to ensure that residents are not unduly affected by sound from the venue, and that may include paying for soundproofing.

“I’m very pleased to hear that Westminster Council included this principle when the planning application was first submitted in 2013, and are taking the necessary steps to protect a cinema which makes a significant contribution to the character of the area and is a real cultural gem.”

Curzon’s CEO Philip Knatchbull has appointed a London law firm to fight the eviction but still expects the dispute to reach court.

The petition, which calls on Mr Khan to take action, has been shared widely on social media, with local residents, film industry leaders and magazines all giving it their backing.

Left-wing film director Ken Loach and UKIP's London mayoral candidate Peter Whittle have both called for the developers to back down.

The petition’s founder Pancho Lewis, of the West End Labour Action Team, told the Standard: “It is clear this attack is merely the latest in an onslaught on arts and culture in the West End and London.

“Too many developers are all too willing to close down much loved cultural venues to make a quick buck. As the Curzon CEO put it, it may sound dramatic but this is a story of David and Goliath - with communities pitted against wealthy developers who frankly show no qualms with acting as total bullies.”

A 38 Curzon Ltd spokesperson said: “The discussions between Curzon, leaseholders throughout the building and the landlord have been ongoing for a year. There are a number of complex negotiations taking place as a result of the lease that Curzon has with the landlord, who is absolutely committed to protecting a cinema and the listed screen.

"We do need the operator, Curzon, to communicate with both the leaseholders and landlord. There are a number of outstanding complaints from a number of leaseholders, including existing residents on the third floor, and health and safety issues, and a remedy for volume and vibrations needs to be found.

"Up until now Curzon have simply refused to address the problems which are their responsibility. No changes to the fabric of the cinema have been suggested and no investment has been demanded. Indeed, we have no idea where the earlier reported figure of £500,000 has come from."

* An earlier version of this article did not specify that the £500,000 cost of soundproofing work was an estimate supplied by the Curzon Cinema. Vevil International and 38 Curzon Ltd say they have not demanded any investment by the cinema. 11/10/16