Dear all Theatre building update You may have seen some activity around the theatre over the past few weeks. This has been intrusive work to help inform both the technical design for the overall building work and the scaffolding design. It has included testing noise levels to guide the new ventilation system design and checking further concealed areas. We’ve also been planning how the RAAC roof panels will be removed. Key milestones and target dates We continue to work towards the dates below but please remember that this is a complex project with multiple interdependencies, a finite budget and is influenced by factors outside of the Council’s control. The timeline below reflects our current working assumptions: October 2026 - We now have the final technical design from our contractors and are still on track to receive costs based on this final design by the end of the month.
- We expect the Planning application to be determined at Planning Committee on 28 October.
November 2026 - Construction works are estimated to begin on-site by the end of the month assuming planning permission is granted, the Council accepts the Apex Contractors price and permission from the head leaseholder is secured. We are also working with the new East Surrey Shadow Authority to gain approval.
- The estimated duration of on-site works is 12-15 months.
Theatre operator update We continue to work with our preferred operator to agree terms. As we have said before, community access is front of mind and all the requests put to us by the Harlequin Support Group have been shared as part of the negotiation process. The two contract awards are linked in that, as you would expect, the future operator needs certainty over the building it will be taking on. Our next milestone is the planning approval – as I said, now expected on 28 October. Thank you once again for your support for the Harlequin Theatre. Cllr Richard Biggs
Leader
Reigate & Banstead Borough Council
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