Archived press release

Date Published: 31/08/07

Civil engineering contractor Cheetham Hill Construction Ltd (CHC) has won the contract to carry out substructure work on the new £27 million theatre in Aylesbury. The £2.9 million contract will involve all the below-ground work on the...

Civil engineering contractor Cheetham Hill Construction Ltd (CHC) has won the contract to carry out substructure work on the new £27 million theatre in Aylesbury.

The £2.9 million contract will involve all the below-ground work on the theatre, including the installation of the piled foundations and the construction of the basement area.

It is expected that work will start on site from Monday 3 September and will last for approximately six months. The state-of-the-art theatre, to be built on land in Exchange Street, is due to be completed in autumn 2009.

CHC has already carried out preliminary work on the site, which involved checking for underground pipes and power cables, diverting the brook and building a bridge near the side of the old bakery so that delivery lorries can get onto Walton Street.

The main construction work, scheduled to begin in March 2008, will be carried out by Willmott Dixon. This contract involves the construction of the entire theatre above ground and the installation of specialist equipment.

The theatre development is part of Aylesbury Vale District Council’s Waterside scheme; an ambitious project to redevelop Aylesbury town centre, creating a new shopping area in Exchange Street (including a department and food store) and a 525 space multi-storey car park and more than 200 homes in Walton Street. Further east at Circus Field there will be a mix of residential development and a new canal basin with residential moorings.

When it is completed the theatre will be equipped with the most up-to-date technology and facilities including a motorised floor in the main hall that can be raised for different performances, a high specification lighting and sound rig and an auditorium which will be able to accommodate 1,200 people for seated events or 1,800 for standing events. The venue will also contain a 220-seat adaptable studio, suitable for smaller drama productions, conferences, workshops and community use.

The theatre will make the most of environmentally-friendly technology to keep energy costs low, such as a ground source heating and cooling system. The piles for the basement area will contain the heat exchange pipe work required for this system.
 
Outside the theatre an attractive open space will be created, planted with shrubs and well lit at night. Bear Brook itself will be landscaped to encourage wildlife to flourish and create a nature corridor along the length of the Waterside development.

The architectural design of the theatre has been created by Arts Team, the internationally renowned theatre architects. The concept put forward by the architects has been inspired by local features. The undulating roof reflects the shape of the neighbouring Chiltern Hills and the use of timber columns is reminiscent of the surrounding woodland areas.

The district’s show-stopping theatre will stage a wide and varied range of arts and entertainment activities and is expected to attract upwards of 300,000 visitors each year from across the Vale and beyond.

The venue will be managed on the council’s behalf by a commercial operator who will be appointed in the near future. In the meantime, the existing Civic Centre will continue to offer a full programme of events until at least July 2008.

Councillor John Cartwright, Leader of the Council, said: “The appointment of Cheetham Hill Construction Ltd is a significant milestone for the theatre development. The company has demonstrated that they will be able to bring a wealth of experience and expertise to the project. It is a pleasure to see the delivery of this much needed arts and entertainment venue for Aylesbury Vale moving forward on schedule.”

Adrian Booth, Contracts Manager for Cheetham Hill Construction Ltd, said: “We are proud to be awarded the next phase of works on this prestigious re-development project. We aim to carry on delivering a high standard of work, contributing towards the new theatre, which will become a key public amenity area in Aylesbury.”

A virtual tour inside the new theatre is on the AVDC website. To find out more visit www.aylesburyvaledc.gov.uk