Key stakeholders gathered on site on 28 August 28 to officially hand the building over to contractors BAM Construction, who will now begin reshaping and revitalising the Leeds cultural institution and its surrounding area. Whereas at the moment wheelchair users have a convoluted route via lifts to get into our auditoria, in the new building they will be able enter the building via one of our two new entrances without negotiating any lifts straight into both the Quarry and Courtyard. And it gets better, because Leeds City Council has promised to develop the slice of wasteland between the two buildings into a brand new city centre park. The £15.8m redevelopment project, led by Leeds City Council, will be funded by £5.6m from the council, alongside a £6.6m Arts Council England contribution and £3.6m from the Playhouse’s own resources, including a fundraising target of £2.75m.
Councillor Judith Blake, leader of Leeds City Council, who attended yesterday’s handover, said: “We are thrilled to see work officially getting underway on a project which will secure and improve one of our city’s most cherished cultural institutions for future generations.For almost 50 years, the Playhouse has been a cornerstone of culture in Leeds, bringing the city’s communities together and generating huge cultural, social and economic benefits for the people of Leeds. We have been building demand for a studio theatre with our Furnace Festival programme which supports and showcases artists at all stages of their career and all stages of productions. The £15.8m redevelopment project, led by Leeds City Council, will be funded by £5.6m from the council, alongside a £6.6m Arts Council England contribution and £3.6m from the Playhouse’s own resources, including a fundraising target of £2.75m. Out of this Playhouse will grow the next, and at the end of its ten-year lease, much of enduring value in the fabric will remain and be recovered. The team were busy digging away and one of them spotted something a bit unusual, and it turned out to be a skull. A planning application for the project was submitted and approved last year, including designs drawn up by architects Page Park, who have previously designed improvements for The Centre for Contemporary Arts and the Theatre Royal in Glasgow and Eden Court Theatre in Inverness. The refurbishment is being carried out by BAM Construction, the contractor behind the refurbishment of Merrion House, the new Leeds City Council base which opened earlier in the year.
Materially as well as spiritually, our Playhouse is designed as a long-term investment for the citizens of Leeds.” – W.Houghton … General office hours are Monday to Friday 10am-5pm. Compare Homeowner Reviews from Top Scottsdale Shed, Barn or Playhouse Repair … An award-winning firm of architects have been appointed to develop plans for the landmark refurbishment of West Yorkshire Playhouse.
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Found in the undercroft, it will have a totally different feel to the Quarry and Courtyard Theatres, with the opportunity for a more raw and unfiltered experience. It’s an exciting new addition, but one that has uncovered a few surprises along the way – including a dead body. “Parts of the building are looking very tired and unloved, they’re not in keeping with the contemporary feel of the rest of the city centre. Of that £15.8m, there is just under £500,000 left to realise the full project.
But we’re not quite there yet … and we need your help. The police were called but quickly realised whatever was there was old enough not to be of interest to them.
We really hope the new building will make it really obvious that there’s something creative and exciting going on inside!”.
Quarry Hill’s arts hotspot is ready to fulfil its true potential. 926862, England & Wales, Terms & Conditions of Booking Privacy Notice Sitemap, Lighting, Sound & Technical Stage Management, Stage is set for Leeds Playhouse redevelopment as contractors move in. The new entrance will make the Playhouse more open and accessible, but it will also transform the dated architecture into a modern marvel.
Leeds Playhouse is on Quarry Hill, opposite the bus station in the centre of Leeds and is easily accessible by car or public transport. Leeds Playhouse is on Quarry Hill, opposite the bus station in the centre of Leeds and is easily accessible by car or public transport.