Green light for ambitious plans to redevelop Lancaster’s Grand Theatre

A new extension at the Grand Theatre, which will require partial demolition of the Lancaster Music Co-op building behind it, was approved by city councillors at Monday’s planning meeting.

The theatre will now develop a new two-storey extension and foyer at its St Leonard’s Gate location.

The plans include demolition of part of the Lancaster Music Co-op building on Lodge Street, a single-storey toilet block, boundary walls, external stairwells and ramps, and then to 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.

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

The theatre location falls within the wider historic Lancaster Canal corridor area, which the city council wants to enhance over time.

Lancaster Civic Society has said it welcomes the plans.

The Grade II listed building is in the Lancaster conservation area. 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 since then but overall retains its historic neo-classical external appearance with an early-20th Century interior.

The theatre is currently running a fundraising campaign and has already raised almost £650,000 and gained a £635,000 grant. However, the Grand website says the grant will expire in March if it has not have raised enough to complete the building work by then. It needs to raise £2.4m more to build the new facility.