Archived press release

Date Published: 11/07/07

Aylesbury Vale District Council has appointed Willmott Dixon, one of the country’s largest privately-owned construction companies, as main contractor on the new £27 million theatre and multi-entertainment centre in Aylesbury. The two ...

Aylesbury Vale District Council has appointed Willmott Dixon, one of the country’s largest privately-owned construction companies, as main contractor on the new £27 million theatre and multi-entertainment centre in Aylesbury.

The two stage tendering process will enable the contractor to work with the theatre design team on the final design, planning and costs before starting construction work from March next year.

It is expected that the theatre, to be built on land in Exchange Street, will be completed in autumn 2009 with the full entertainment programme likely to start in January 2010.

The theatre development is part of the 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.

Preliminary work is currently being carried out on the site, which involves 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.

Giant pile driving equipment will arrive on site in the summer and begin drilling the foundations. This work, which will form part of an earlier separate contract, will include the creation of a basement which will accommodate the hydraulics for the theatre seats, and the sound booth.

Main construction work, scheduled to begin in March 2008, is expected to take nearly two years to complete. This contract involves the construction of the entire theatre above ground and the installation of specialist equipment.

The theatre, which will replace the Civic Centre in Aylesbury, will stage a wide programme of events and entertainments and is expected to attract up to 300,000 visitors each year.

It 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 theatre will also contain a 220-seat adaptable studio, suitable for smaller drama productions, conferences, workshops and community use.

Outside the new theatre an attractive open space will be created, planted with shrubs and well lit at night. Bear Brook itself will be widened and landscaped to encourage wildlife to flourish and create a nature corridor along the length of the Waterside development.

The architectural design of the new 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 theatre 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 Easter 2008.

Councillor John Cartwright, Leader of the Council, said: “I’m delighted that a contractor has been appointed who will help turn our plans to provide a first class theatre and entertainment centre in Aylesbury into reality. We believe that the residents of Aylesbury Vale deserve a 21st century theatre with excellent facilities and I look forward to the main construction work starting on site. Willmott Dixon has a wealth of experience in developing cultural buildings and we will no doubt be able to draw on valuable lessons they have learned during other high value contracts.”

Mike Hart, Managing Director for Willmott Dixon in the Northern Home Counties, said: “We are very pleased to have been chosen for this prestigious scheme in Aylesbury, which will be a major cultural landmark for the region.”