Theatre to have Raac removed in £1.1m project

The Derngate auditorium has a capacity of 1,500, while the Royal can seat 450

A council is set to approve £1.1m of support works to reinforce a theatre's roof which contains crumbling concrete.

The Royal & Derngate had to close its doors in Northampton last September when reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (Raac) was found in its foyers.

Subsequent surveys found the affected planks were in a "good condition" and would not require a complete roof restoration as feared.

In a report, West Northamptonshire Council said its planned works could take up to 20 weeks to be completed.

It said repair works were needed as a risk of “sudden and catastrophic failure and thus the risk of serious injury and death” remained.

The project is set to be rubber-stamped at a meeting of the council cabinet on Tuesday.

The Royal & Derngate in Northampton had to be closed in September 2023 due to Raac

The venue consists of two theatres - the Derngate auditorium, with a capacity of 1,500, and the Royal, which can hold 450.

The Derngate was built in 1983 when Raac was widely used, whereas the Royal dates back to the 1800s.

Council documents stated the recommended support system was the most cost-effective option and caused the least disruption to the theatre.

The repairs would last about 20 weeks within a phased work project to allow for the maximum theatre space to be open.

Chief executive Jo Gordon previously told the BBC they had postponed more than 30 shows by October 2023

The roof would then need to be checked annually, but the council added that the scheme should extend the life of the Raac roof planks by at least 30 years.

Replacing the roof entirely would cost £2.3m and take about 46 weeks, requiring the venue to close, the authority estimated.

It added: "Whilst ultimately the roof may still need to be replaced, the works can be deferred for decades.

"In that time other developments may change the context, meaning the additional cost of [installing a new roof] would have been wasted."