Plans to transform Heywood Civic Centre just got bigger and better, after councillors agreed to plough an additional £2.25 million into the scheme at the 21 February 2024 budget fixing council.
The well-known venue is currently closed while preparation work takes place ahead of a proposed redevelopment, which is expected to start in April 2024.
Under the original proposals, which were submitted for planning in December, a brand new 50 square metre extension with a glazed frontage onto Peine Square would be created to open up the venue. Under the new proposals, this extension will now stand at 150 square metres to create a more accessible entrance foyer which will contain a café bar that doubles up as a box office, with increased capacity for café seating and a new kitchen.
The increased funding will also enable the creation of a new main bar at ground level. This means the mezzanine level, where the bar would have gone in the original scheme can now offer flexible use during the day and act as an overspill area during evening events.
The additional investment will also fund the creation of 2 additional changing rooms to increase the capacity of performers, enabling larger shows to be staged at the venue. In addition to refurbishment of the existing facilities, 2 new accessible toilets with baby changing facilities will also be available for public use, alongside a new Changing Places Toilet, located in the new entrance foyer.
The wider plans for the Heywood Civic Centre include retractable seating in the auditorium, to enable a more flexible performance space, and upgrades to the sound and lighting systems. New opportunities for the community to participate in the arts will be created by Your Trust, and local arts organisation, Cartwheel Arts, will be relocated to a new base in the centre.
The plans are part of an £8.5 million investment into arts and culture in the borough, thanks to funding from Arts Council England and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport funding. In addition to the work at Heywood Civic Centre, the grant is also supporting the redevelopment of Touchstones Rochdale, which will reopen to the public in 2025.
