Ambitious plans to transform Lancaster theatre set to get green light

A new extension at the Grand Theatre, which will require partial demolition of the Lancaster Music Co-op building behind it, will be considered by councillors.

The Grand Theatre is seeking planning permission from Lancaster City Council to develop a new two-storey extension and foyer at St Leonard’s Gate.

It wants to demolish part of the Lancaster Music Co-op building on Lodge Street, a single-storey toilet block, boundary walls, external stairwells and ramps, and then build a two-storey extension with a bigger car park, a new retaining wall, access ramp and steps, and also repair the exposed walls of the Music Co-op.

The theatre’s planning application has been submitted by Michael Hardy. And because the historic theatre is listed, a separate application for listed building consent has been submitted too.

Similar plans for the Grand Theatre were approved in January of 2019 but were not carried out due to funding issues.

The theatre is currently running a fundraising campaign and its location falls within the wider historic Lancaster Canal corridor area, which the city council wants to enhance over time.

Archaeology staff at Lancashire County Council have no objections to the theatre plans but they have asked for a planning condition to include archaeological work at the site.

Lancaster Civic Society has said it welcomes the plans to expand the theatre’s reception facilities and other offices at the historic site.

A city council report states: “The Lancaster Grand is Grade II listed and in the Lancaster conservation area. The site lies opposite St Leonard’s House, which is also grade II listed.

“The theatre building was listed for its historic association, as the first theatre established in Lancaster in 1782. The building has been altered and damaged by fire but overall retains its historic neo-classical external appearance with an early-20th Century interior. ”

In the past, there were terraces north of the theatre which were demolished in the 1960s for a link road which was never developed. Those changes eroded the historic association of the theatre’s setting but also allow the building to be appreciated along the main street, the report adds.

On the extension designs, the planning report adds: “The proposal has been carefully designed. Enhancement of the theatre facilities are desperately needed to secure its continued growth and success. Overall, the submission represents an acceptable scheme which will not impact unduly on the surrounding street scene or conservation area. It will help not only the viability of the site but the wider area.

“Matters relating to design, drainage, contamination access and parking can be adequately dealt with by conditions. Therefore this application can be recommended for approval.”

Councillors on the planning committee will look at the plans on Monday (January 30) at their meeting in Morecambe Town Hall from 10.30am.

Separately, Lancaster Grand Theatre says it has already raised almost £650,000 and gained a £635,000 grant. However it says the grant will expire in March because it has not have raised enough to complete the building work by then, according to its website. It needs to raise £2.4 million more to build the new facility.