Latest designs for improving Alexandra Theatre in Regis Centre 'heading in the right direction'

The latest designs for the Alexandra Theatre were shared on Tuesday (13 December) after councillors told architects to go back to the drawing board.

Arun District Council was awarded more than £12 million in government Levelling Up funding to transform the Regis Centre and Alexandra Theatre and agreed to contribute an extra £3 million to the project.

Councillors were left disappointed in October after being presented with designs that looked completely different to concept drawings they supported earlier.

They heard that just 29 extra seats would be added to the theatre – significantly less than the 93 proposed in the council’s funding bid.

Architects have now prepared three alternative designs nicknamed the wave, cube, and refined.

Councillors were happier with the updated designs which include additional glass, sea views, and the use of lighter materials to the building façade.

But just 64 extra seats was deemed unviable, coming in at £2 million (£31,250 per seat).

High costs are down to the extra structural works that would be required to fit in more seats, including moving the auditorium wall back, potentially encroaching onto disabled parking and a footpath on Belmont Street.

This, said regeneration consultant Neil Taylor, could take 102 years to pay for itself with current ticket prices and would have ‘no financial return’ for the council as ticket sales go to Arun Arts which leases the venue for a peppercorn rent.

Mr Taylor said exploring a 450 seat capacity could delay the project, causing the council to miss its deadline.

Council leader Shaun Gunner said the designs were now ‘heading in the right direction’.

“I’d like to see more flair in terms of the materials,” he said, “If we as councillors want to build a more iconic [theatre] and we can’t do it with an iconic shape, we might be able to do it with colour or materials.”

Opposition leader James Walsh supported the new designs but felt councillors had been given an ‘all or nothing’ choice when it came to seating capacity.

Mr Taylor reassured councillors that they would have further opportunities to comment and that close consultation is taking place with Arun Arts.