Norwich Playhouse has planning permission for a lift to every floor, more toilets and new community space. Building could start in 2028; the theatre stays open.

Norwich Playhouse has planning permission for an overhaul, 30 years after it opened. The 300-seat theatre on St Georges Street will get a lift to every floor, more toilets and new space for community groups.

Norwich Theatre, which runs the Playhouse, announced the decision on its redevelopment project page. It says Norwich City Council “has officially granted planning permission”. The application reference is 26/00164, for 42-58 St Georges Street, NR3 1AB. The Norwich Society’s planning comments list records it as “Refurbishment and extension of Norwich Playhouse”.

The venue opened in 1995 inside a converted riverside maltings about 200 years old. The scheme was first drawn up in 2019 and shelved during the pandemic, according to the theatre’s announcement when it applied on 17 February 2026. The architects are Citizens Design Bureau.

What the plans include

Norwich Theatre lists four headline changes:

Aim What it means in the building
Access A passenger lift serving all floors, staff areas included; more toilets; level access through front of house, backstage and the garden
Energy Ageing systems replaced, with air-source heat pumps where possible and better insulation
Visitors Public areas redesigned so people can move around more easily at busy intervals; the garden renewed so it can host programmed community events
Community A bigger indoor footprint, with multi-purpose rooms for local artists, residents and community groups

The theatre is candid about why. Its project page says the building “is 200 years old” and “the infrastructure is tired”, and that “currently, accessibility is a challenge”.

Stephen Crocker, Norwich Theatre’s chief executive and creative director, said when the plans were submitted: “While its character remains timeless, the building itself requires vital care to ensure it can meet 21st-century needs.”

When, and who pays

Nothing changes yet. The project page says the Playhouse is still open, with its usual comedy, drama and music programme, and the bar.

Building work could begin “as early as 2028”. That date is the theatre’s own ambition, not a fixed start.

The money is not in place. Norwich Theatre is a charity, the operating name of Theatre Royal (Norwich) Trust Limited, registered charity 262259. It says it “receives no regular public subsidy”. The work will need a mix of its own investment, private grants and public donations. The theatre says it is “in the early stages of our fundraising journey” and will publish more on how to help later this year, along with interior design details.

No cost has been published.

What it means for you

  • Shows are going ahead as normal. Book through Norwich Theatre or the box office on 01603 630 000.
  • If you use a wheelchair or cannot manage stairs, the lift and level access are the changes that matter most. They will not arrive before the building work, which is at least two years away.
  • To support the project, the theatre points donors to its general donation page for now. A dedicated appeal is promised later this year.
  • To read the full plans, search for 26/00164 on the council’s planning portal.

Other city planning stories are on our Norwich planning news page.