Refurbishment of the building
The building is listed Grade II* by English Heritage, does not currently provide access in line with requirements of the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA), and lacks contemporary infrastructure.
It is in a state of disrepair and professional survey work undertaken since the building was returned to the University in 2008 has identified a backlog of long-term maintenance work.
A phased planning and building process will return the building to use as soon as possible.
The internal spaces
There will be changes to the internal layout, to bring it closer to its original design. Features that were later grafted onto the initial building will be removed, to affirm its English Heritage listed status and unique architectural potential.
The building will provide 33% more space than originally envisaged by opening out the area underneath the main auditorium.
The auditorium and stage
The now decrepit auditorium seating, installed on temporary platform structures in the 1980s, is unsafe and has been removed.
New 'bleacher' seating will allow ready reconfiguration of the auditorium as initially intended by the architect Sir Basil Spence and theatre consultant Sean Kenny. The maximum capacity will be about 350.
The stage will be realigned more closely with the original design, with the creation of a level floor auditorium. Possibilities to modify performance space/s will be reintroduced as per the initial plans of the architect Sir Basil Spence and theatre consultant Sean Kenny.
Cost of refurbishment
The cost of refurbishment (estimated at £7.2m) is being met from the University's capital budget and from existing long-term maintenance budgets.