Octagon Theatre targets July submission for refurb plans
A planning application is due to be submitted at the end of the month for the £8.5m redevelopment of Bolton’s Octagon Theatre, designed by Feilden Clegg Bradley and set to be built by Willmott Dixon.
Pending approval, the project would start on site in June 2018 for completion in September 2019.
The scheme aims to enlarge and modernise the building, to improve accessibility and accommodation for the Theatre’s on and off-stage projects. This will involve demolishing large sections and rebuilding around the core of the theatre’s auditorium.
The theatre, which opened in 1967 and has seen various extensions and refurbishments, is seen as no longer fit for purpose.
The three-year redevelopment has received £4m in arts council funding, and further funding pledges from Bolton Council. A fundraising campaign led by the Octagon Theatre, which is a registered charity, is ongoing to secure the total £10m needed.
Other advisors include Gardiner & Theobald as project manager, and Charcoal Blue as theatre consultant.
