Work on £28m arts hub revamp to begin in autumn
Northumberland County CouncilWork on a multi-million pound scheme to transform England's most northerly arts venue is to get under way in the autumn after years of planning and consultation.
The major redevelopment of The Maltings in Berwick will bring together the updated theatre, cafe and dining spaces on the same floor.
Public spaces, rehearsal space and a meeting room will also be created, while the lower floors will be repurposed to create one large main cinema and a smaller boutique cinema.
Work on the £28.4m redevelopment, partly funded by the government-led Borderlands Regional Growth Deal, is expected to be finished in 2028.
It is more than a decade since Northumberland County Council revealed the theatre and cinema could be redesigned and refurbished.
A £17.7m redevelopment plan was revealed in March 2021 with planning permission granted in August last year.
Picturesque views
A petition signed by more than 1,000 people called for a rethink of the plans, warning it could damage picturesque views of Berwick and set a "dangerous precedent" for future development in the conservation area.
Heritage bodies the Victorian Society and the Georgian Group also had concerns about the proposals, which was developed in the remains of a 19th Century granary that was destroyed by a fire.
Leader of Northumberland County Council, Glen Sanderson, said it was "absolutely fair that people should have their own point of view" but "we will never please everyone".
"We have listened very, very carefully to all of those concerns around the way it looks, made those changes, and I think the compromise we have today should suit most people," he said.
"It will attract many, many visitors and will give great pleasure to residents - it will be an absolute treasure for Berwick."
The council has said ahead of the main construction works starting, Eastern Lane car park will be closed to the public from late summer to create a contractors' compound.
Pedestrian access will still be available from Eastern Lane to Hide Hill.
Alternative parking will be available at Walkergate and Coxon Lane car park from September, for the duration of the works and temporary traffic lights will operate in Marygate from late summer when large construction vehicles need to leave the site.
