Taunton Urban Design Framework - Taunton Deane Borough Council

New TheatreFlats and townhousesfronting new streetWorkshopNew pavedwaterside spaceBars and restaurants withapartments aboveStudios andmeeting roomsFly towerImprovedservice yardBars andrestaurantsFoyerThere has been debate regarding the preferred size andform of a new theatre. The master plan illustrates a schemewhich meets the requirements of the theatre’s artisticdirector to increase capacity in the main auditorium, andallows for future flexibility as these requirements aredetermined in more detail.Specifically the proposals include, a main auditorium with550 seat capacity and fly tower, a smaller, flexible studiotheatre, smaller scale conference facilities, and meetingrooms. Importantly the new theatre could incorporate afly tower without impacting on the sensitive skyline ofTaunton, and could provide production facilities to addressthe main constraints of the existing site.550 seatauditoriumThe proposals also include workshops with facilitiesappropriate to a theatre staging its own productions.This is considered to have significant benefits for any effortsto stimulate the growth of ‘creative industries’ as part of thewider proposals for Tangier. The opportunity also exists tosupplement the theatre facilities with an externalperformance space in Goodland Gardens.At ground level, specialist shops and restaurants would frontthe river walkway. At first floor level, the theatre bar wouldprovide views across the river. At upper levels the proposalsincorporate apartments with balconies onto the river.New theatre potential layoutExtend existingdepartment store70 Areas of Change - Tangier & Cultural CoreSection 4Taunton UDF