Building starts on Brindley Theatre’s £9.5m upgrade
Yesterday’s ground-breaking ceremony got the show on the road for the two-storey enhancement plans.
Krol Corlett Construction is the main contractor for the Halton Council project.
The £9.5m Brindley Theatre extension will house the Granville Street Library and add a large café-restaurant space to the Runcorn venue.
Work is expected to be completed in July 2026.
Post-construction, the theatre and ancillary spaces will have approximately 7,400 sq ft of total gross internal floorspace.
The extended café-restaurant will have a capacity of 80 covers.
The proposals include transforming adjacent Brindley Green into a park to become a “key civic space integral to the fabric of the town centre,” according to the planning documents.
Dan Tebay, managing director of Krol Corlett said: “We are incredibly proud to be the appointed main contractor for this transformative project.
“The Brindley has long been a cherished landmark, and our team is excited to bring this ambitious scheme to life.”
The enhancement is part of the Reconnecting Runcorn programme, which was awarded £23.6m in 2021 from the UK Government’s Towns Fund as part of the Town Deals programme.
Liverpool City Region Combined Authority also helped make the project possible with funding.
The Brindley Theatre opened in 2004, winning a Royal Institute of British Architects Architectural Award, and has since established itself as a popular local venue.
Cllr Paul Nolan, Halton Council’s portfolio holder for cultural and leisure services said: “The Brindley is an award-winning theatre and, by transforming it into a cultural hub, will give the community even more reasons to visit.”
Performances and shows will continue as normal as construction continues.
The groundbreaking ceremony took place yesterday, attending was Stephen Young, CEO OF Halton Borough Council, Krol Corlett team incls: Daniel Tebay MD Krol Corlett, Project Manger Lee Reynolds, Wayne Blair – Contracts Mgr, Michelle Eager, BDM, Ellis Williams Architect team and key local community members. via: Krol Corlett Construction
The project is being managed by Arcadis, while the plans were drawn up by Ellis Williams Architects.
Tace led the early concept design, with the engineers on the project Clancy Consulting covering MEP, and Curtins.
HBC Landscape, Keelagher Okey Klein, AEC, and Tetra Tech are also involved.
The application reference number 22/00417/HBCFU can be used on Halton Council’s planning portal to find the project.
The image looks nice though completion in July 2026 seems a long time for the project to be finished. I shall be watching closely to see if we end up with another concrete jungle similar to the railway station quarter. If this takes £9.5 million of the £23.6 million where are we going to see further improvements for our town?
By Joy Baker