Odeon & Little Roodee are revealed as preferred sites for multi-million pound Chester theatre

Oct 28 2010 By Chronicle Reporter

CHESTER’S much-loved Odeon building could be transformed into a £38m state-of-the-art theatre complex – and cinema.

The currently empty listed building in Northgate Street has emerged as the surprise option after two preferred sites were unveiled by Cheshire West & Chester Council yesterday.

The second is the long-anticipated proposal to create a new arts complex at the Little Roodee car park on the banks of the River Dee.

The two options – each offering a minimum 800 seat venue – will go before Cheshire West & Chester Council’s Executive on Wednesday night.

If members agree these are the correct options to explore, officers will be asked to produce detailed reports on both sites, including how they will actually be paid for.

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Their reports are due to go back to councillors early next year so a final decision can be made on which option to pursue.

A planning application is expected to be submitted by the end of 2011 with the hope of work starting on the chosen site in 2012.

The cost of the Little Roodee development is estimated at £50m while the Odeon option is expected to cost around £38.

During a four month feasibility study, a team of experts, led by the Manchester-based Locum Consulting, examined all aspects of Chester theatre vision, including more than 20 different sites.

Locum advocates a medium scale theatre offering an 800-seat auditorium, capable of scaling down to 450 for smaller audience productions, plus a flexible studio theatre seating around 200.

Dependent on its chosen location, the building could have the potential for cinema facilities and a restaurant, plus a theatre bar/café.

The study advocates development of a theatre offering ‘mixed programming’ – both shows brought in from a variety of sources and in-house productions.

Site option A is the council-owned Little Roodee car park providing an attractive landscape, for a ‘landmark building’, adding to the attractions of the riverfront and supporting the development of the Lower Bridge Street and Castle area.

All-inclusive costs are estimated at around £50m – including around £11m for car parking, specialist building design complement its historic surroundings and possible anti-flood measures.

Site Option B is the Odeon Theatre – currently privately owned by the Brook Group – including 49 Northgate Street and Folliot House, now included within the parameters of the proposed Northgate Development.

A prominent location next to the main civic space on the boundary between the main shopping core and leisure area, the Odeon, it is suggested, would provide an excellent fit with proposed improvements to the Cathedral Quarter and support the economy of Northgate Street and the city centre.

Overall costing for the conversion of the Odeon, which currently has 1,680 seats and which could also include some cinema provision, is estimated at £38m.

Individual ratings of these sites is reported as being ‘essentially much the same’ but a third site – Gorse Stacks – was said to significantly behind and the Executive is recommended not to pursue the option.

Councillor Richard Short, Executive Member for Culture and Recreation, said: "We have always contended that the city desperately needed an iconic theatre to fill a major gap in its cultural offer.

"We are about to take a major step towards both achieving that dream and also to providing a major boost to the city’s economic regeneration."

If the study recommendations are accepted, officers will produce detailed reports on both options – everything from funding and procurement strategies to traffic surveys – to aid members’ deliberations.

Cheshire West and Chester also intends to engage the public and key stakeholders in development of the theatre’s final design brief and programme.

Consultants also believe that Chester – with its good rail service – would provide an ‘enticing location’ to help meet a national demand for larger conference facilities.

And they recommend a flexible ‘events venue’ for 1,000 – 1,200 delegates that could also stage large concerts and exhibitions.

The Little Roodee, either as a stand alone theatre or co-located theatre and convention centre and the Odeon, as a stand alone theatre or convention centre are both suggested as possible sites.