Plans for New Theatre and Concert Venue Advance

The development plans for a new theatre and concert venue have progressed. During its cabinet meeting on Wednesday, Swindon Borough Council approved an expenditure of up to £40,000 for a specialist advisor. Councillors also endorsed the construction of the new facility at the current bus station site in Kimmerfields, which is scheduled for clearance next year. Councillor Jim Robbins, the council leader, stated: “I’m excited to be bringing this forward, this could be the first part of the Heart of Swindon vision to be delivered.” While the project is in its initial phases, a construction approach resembling that of the 3,000-capacity Abba Voyage Arena in east London is a preferred choice, as reported by the Local Democracy Reporting Service. This ‘modern construction’ method involves a modular design, with most components fabricated offsite and then assembled on location, allowing for potential disassembly and relocation. Councillor Marina Strinkovsky, the cabinet member for culture, commented: “This would be only the second completed ‘modern construction; outside of London. “This is another sign that Swindon isn’t copying other places, it isn’t aspiring to be like somewhere else. This is a theatre for the post-Covid, post-Amazon, post-Doordash world.” The Wyvern Theatre is approaching the end of its operational lifespan and is anticipated to close by 2027. The aspiration is for the new venue to commence operations prior to that date. Councillor Gary Sumner, a member of the opposition Conservative group, was absent from the meeting but subsequently remarked: “While we support the principle, the LGA Peer review said the financial threat to the council could be existential.“Is this the right moment to be heading into more borrowing for something which the private sector could deliver if it is so viable?” he added.