The council has applied to replace the Harlequin's RAAC-hit roof. Comments close 2 October, councillors decide, and building could start in November.
The planning application to fix the Harlequin Theatre’s roof is in. Reigate & Banstead Borough Council has applied to itself for permission to remove and replace the roof covering of the Redhill theatre, which has been shut since September 2023 because of RAAC concrete.
The application, 26/01476/F, was validated on 10 September. Comments can be made until 2 October (Reigate & Banstead planning register).
What the application covers
The works listed in the application are:
- removing and replacing the roof covering
- new mechanical, electrical and plumbing plant on the upper and lower roofs
- replacing the roof safety system with safety handrails
- removing the penthouse on the main roof
- replacing the glazing over the triangular stair bay window with a dormer roof detail
The applicant is the borough council and its agent is the Bailey Partnership, of Maidstone. The Bailey Partnership has worked on the theatre’s design since autumn 2025.
The register lists the expected decision level as Planning Committee, not a council officer. The deadline for a decision is 5 November 2026.
Where the Harlequin project stands
The council’s own project page sets out the plan. The Executive agreed in June 2025 to remove the RAAC and reopen the theatre at its previous capacity of just under 500 seats (Reigate & Banstead Borough Council).
The scope has grown since then. The works now include replacing the air handling system and two large windows on the Station Road side, which run straight into the roof structure. The council says both have become necessary to bring the building back into use.
Its working timeline, as published:
- July to September 2026: technical design with the Bailey Partnership and Apex Contractors
- October 2026: agree a detailed price for the work
- November 2026: construction estimated to start
- 12 to 15 months: estimated time on site
Two conditions hang over that November start. The council says building begins only “if the Council accepts the price and permission from the head leaseholder is secured”. If Apex’s price comes in over the approved budget, the council says it would have to look at other contractors, which “would affect timelines”.
On money, the Executive asked Full Council in June 2025 to allocate £4.5 million from reserves for the RAAC removal and essential works (council news release, 20 June 2025).
Who will run it
The council ran the Harlequin in-house before it closed. It will not do so again. The council says a third-party operator “has been selected” and it is negotiating the contract, but it will not name the operator until the contract is signed.
A second arts venue is also planned in central Redhill, in Unit 5 of The Rise.
What it means for you
- You can comment on the plans until 2 October. Search for reference 26/01476/F on the council’s planning register, or read our guide to Reigate & Banstead planning applications.
- Do not expect the theatre back soon. Even if work starts in November as planned, 12 to 15 months on site runs to between November 2027 and February 2028. The council has not published an opening date.
- Watch the October price. It is the point where the council says the timeline could slip.
- This will be a committee decision, held in public. From 31 October the committee also changes shape; our report on the new planning rules explains how.
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