West Yorkshire Playhouse £14m upgrade gets planning consent

A new entrance will be built for the theatre along with improved access and increased capacity

A £14m transformation of the West Yorkshire Playhouse in Leeds has been given planning consent.

The theatre plans to build a new entrance, improve access, upgrade technical equipment and create a new studio space.

An Arts Council grant will cover £6.6m of the costs, with £4.4m from Leeds City Council and the rest from the venue's own funds.

It is hoped the work will be completed by 2019.

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During the redevelopment, a 350-seat temporary theatre will be used to allow productions to continue.

The West Yorkshire Playhouse will continue to hold productions during the construction work

Opened in 1990, the building in its current form is "growing tired and inefficient", the Playhouse said.

Robin Hawkes, venue director, said: "It is the culmination of nearly five years of hard work by so many people both at the Playhouse and at the council.

"It means we can go into the new year planning positively for a new era for our theatre."