Proposals to update and refurbish Port Talbot’s Princess Royal Theatre and the adjacent Civic Square have been given the go ahead by Neath Port Talbot Council’s Planning Committee.
The scheme, backed by UK Government funding, aims to ‘rejuvenate and modernise’ the 798-seat Princess Royal Theatre by improving customer experience with new cafes, an extension to the south west elevation of the building, a remodelled bar servery area and an auditorium entrance lobby with a large, modern foyer.
There will also be a “premier” green room for artists.
Other additions for the theatre include a conference hall with capacity for 250 people, a remodelled, lightweight orchestra pit and a large sound and lighting room with winch and rigging facilities so a wider variety of productions can be held at the popular venue.
Under the plans, Port Talbot’s Civic Square will be transformed into a multi-purpose community space with features such as new seating and significantly improved green spaces with extensive tree and shrub planting.
The ‘greening’ of the Civic Square will involve a 70% increase in trees and the area will also benefit from ‘rain gardens’ – green areas designed specifically to hold and soak in rainwater runoff.
The Planning Committee, at its meeting on Tuesday, December 17th, heard in an officers’ report: “These proposals will see a combination of public realm enhancements and architectural interventions to upgrade this site and improve the public realm and desirability of the area for use.”
The project, which will see a new amphitheatre in the Civic Square along with space for ‘pop-up’ commercial uses, is due to start in February 2025 with completion anticipated by early 2026.
Some of the UK Government funding for the project is also earmarked for a scheme to create new green infrastructure and play and family areas alongside the River Afan a short distance from the Civic Square and Princess Royal Theatre.
Cllr Cen Phillips said: “This project is designed to make the Civic Square more vibrant and attractive and more functional as a safe community space. It will also see more greening of the Civic Square and will represent a considerable improvement in public space in the centre of Port Talbot.
“As for the theatre, it will be transformed, making it more contemporary, giving the opportunity for a wider range of shows and offering more space for relaxation and there will also be a gateway entrance created giving this important building a strong identity.”
