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as both of the rival developers for our site have included a new theatre in their plans. Stanhope/ Schroders & Arrowcroft/ Frogmore will provide a new permanent home that will replace our current building on the land that stretches between Dingwall Road and the railway line north to Lansdowne Road. The first proposal (Stanhope's) is for a 200 seat theatre custom-designed by Foster + Partners in their Ruskin Square development with a large new park in front. This will be paid for in full by Stanhope at a cost approaching £5 million. It would be a unique and very special theatre and would be a real attraction for Croydon. Design work is progressing apace and building work is ready to commence once the remaining pre-commencement planning conditions have been cleared by Croydon Council ( technical issues like site drainage and the lighting scheme). Once these hurdles are out of the way it will be approximately 24 months until we move from our current home into our new building. Our current building will then be demolished and turned into an attractive park! We have already agreed terms with Stanhope for a lease of 75 years at a peppercorn rent, along with a commitment for sponsorship of £30,000 per year which continues for three years after opening the new theatre. The Board of the Warehouse Theatre believe that this is the best option for securing a fully funded, workable and unique building that will be a perfect home to develop our work in.  The second proposal (Arrowcroft's) is for an Arena-led scheme Croydon Gateway On 5 June 2007 Arrowcroft changed their scheme to incorporate a replacement theatre as part of a condition of planning. It is proposed that it occupies one of the leisure units behind the Arena facing onto the plaza with a children's playground in front (see below). The plan is to build a 200 seat theatre inside the leisure unit but the drawings provided are only illustrative and do not provide a theatre which meets our brief. The Warehouse Theatre Board has not yet been able to validate these proposals or its real value.  The biggest problem is that the Arrowcroft scheme would be built in one phase and requires us to vacate our current theatre before the development begins. We would then be without our home for a period of three years or more and we would need a temporary location and additional funding to make this possible. Croydon Council as the promoter of the Arena, and the acquiring authority making the compulsory purchase order, is in the best position to find a solution to these crucial issues. They are also the "guardian" of the planning agreement. Currently no work has been done or agreed on these issues. It is now over to Croydon Council to help find a workable way in which the theatre can not only survive but thrive. The Warehouse Theatre Board is confident that these issues can be overcome but only with the active support of Croydon Council. Timescale The theatre's lease is subject to a compulsory purchase order. The outcome will be known in late spring 2008. Stanhope will take 24 months to build the first part of Ruskin Square (the park, theatre, first office blocks etc) with the theatre opening for Christmas 2009. The Arrowcroft Arena development will take at least 3 years from a start on site. A start is anticipated in 2010, with completion in 2014, because finance needs to be raised and land tribunal issues dealt with before a start can be made, The Immediate Future We have a splendid winter programme with The Mystery of Edwin Drood now playing until the end of February and an exciting Spring programme beiginning with Stan Laurel Please Stand Up and our next Wine Tasting on Friday 14 March. We will remain in our present building for the next two years regardless of the outcome of the public Inquiry and your continued support is critical to our future. Your Help We thank everyone who has been involved in getting us to this stage. We have a current need for volunteers across our organisation and would invite you to commit to a regular slot or activity at the theatre. 4 hour blocks are best so that your time is best used. Please call on 020 8681 1257 or email: admin@warehousetheatre.co.uk |
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