A leading light at a Lancaster theatre says he's delighted that plans for a new foyer have been granted planning permission for the second time.
Mike Hardy said the decision will allow the Lancaster Grand Theatre to resume a campaign to raise more than £2m for a new modern two-storey reception area.
Mr Hardy, chair of Lancaster Footlights, was speaking after plans to build an extension on the 241-year-old Grade II listed building were approved by councillors at a meeting on Monday.
The plans had previously been approved in 2019 but a time limit on planning permission had elapsed without the work being started, after fundraising was derailed by the Covid pandemic.
Mr Hardy said: "We are delighted to get the planning permission back again.
"That gives the green light for restarting the fundraising drive.
"We know what we want, we now just have to get the funding."
Here's an artist's impression of how the newly-extended Lancaster Grand might look.
Lancaster City Council planning regulatory committee unanimously approved the updated plans at a meeting held at Morecambe Town Hall on Monday.
The plans were to remove a single storey toilet block, external stairwells and ramps, build a two-storey extension, demolish a dilapidated part of the nearby Lancaster Musician's Co-op building, extend the existing car park, build a retaining wall and a replacement access ramp and steps, and repair exposed facades of the Co-Op.
The theatre (pictured below) is owned by the Footlights, a registered charity and local theatrical performance group.
Plans to build a new foyer to create extra space at the St Leonard's Gate venue were first announced in 2008.
"A detailed design of the proposed new foyer has now been completed and the updated cost estimate as of January 2022 was £2.84m," says a statement on the Lancaster Grand Theatre website.
"The theatre has independently raised £648,000 by means of donations, fund raising events and legacies.
"A total of £230,000 has already been spent on design work.
"A grant of £625,000 was promised as part of the city backed High Street Heritage Action Zone initiative comprising £287,000 from Heritage England and £337,000 from Lancaster City Council but, due to lack of success raising the balance due to the Covid pandemic, this grant will time expire in March 2023.
"The project was planned to officially start with the demolition of the council-owned dilapidated lean-to attached to the adjacent building. However, that work was delayed and as a result, planning permission time expired in January 2022.
"Minor improvements were made to the design which now includes a wheelchair ramp to provide an independent self-evacuation route for wheelchair users and plans to make the plaza outside the building a car free public space to match up with the plans for the proposed Canal Quarter redevelopment to the rear of the theatre.
"A small car park extension has also been added for theatre vehicles.
"This updated scheme was given planning approval at the January meeting of the planning committee and the theatre intends to restart the fund-raising drive once the lean-to has been demolished."
Work has also been going on at the front of the Grand, including to install new lighting and signage. This is expected to be finished soon.
Mr Hardy said the front of the building will look "stunning" and "if we get the foyer it will look absolutely amazing".
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