Plans for a Flexible Theatre for Farnham
At the Public Forum on September 19th, 2026 Dr. Michael Holden, Theatre Consultant, welcomed the inclusion in the latest National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) of Culture as an important element of Town Planning. The announcement of the document suggested that the Secretary of State will place little importance on local plans that do not reflect the NPPF criteria. This is all to be welcomed but still development interfaces with the community it serves based on fully designed schemes presented to the public for 'consultation' rather than generated in consultation with the public. The latter is particularly important in High Streets at the very centre of their community.
Dr Holden suggested that the Woolmead represented an opportunity for a true community development. A place for the younger and older members of the community to live together with social meeting places for the whole community and live entertainment at the very heart of Farnham. He proposed that the development should include:
Retail to extend the high street beyond the south street crossing and to form a link to the Brightwell's Yard shopping area. East Street would become a semi-pedestrianised road (5 mph vehicle movements to serve existing properties) with Woolmead Road made into the two-direction traffic flow for which it was originally designed.
At the South Street junction a covered market, perhaps with cast iron columns supporting a glass canopy, possibly a reuse of a demolished Victorian railway station. Beyond it the retail would centre on a supermarket (perhaps a replacement for the tired Sainsburys in South Street). Also some small but important service shops such as Timpsons. At the East end of the site a theatre would provide support facilities (meeting places, studios) and a replacement for the much-missed local theatre. The theatre's facade, facing the east entry to the town centre, could provide an appropriate sign of the Georgian town beyond. An arcaded covered pavement on the north side of East Street would be a boon in the extended pedestrian area.
Above the retail a piazza would provide for flats for retired couples, releasing family housing for more appropriate use rather than the inevitable Air B&B that would take up compact flats. Perhaps seventy such retirement units, in north-south oriented 'finger' buildings, so that all would get sunlight each day and facing on to gardens between the fingers. At the west end a finger with flats facing east would back a modest fly-tower and studios of the theatre. At the east end of the piazza student study bed-sits around an atrium would help to create a young person's ambience to the covered market area with a cafe servicing to the communal areas of the student housing and to the marketplace.
Beneath the majority of the site an underground car park would provide for resident and shopping parking. The car park would perform the necessary stabilisations and drainage of the site, situated as it is at the bottom of the hill to the north.
The theatre should not be merely an auditorium but with studios and foyers to provide a casual social meeting place throughout the day and spaces for performance practice and self-expression. The theatre management must provide for reception, cleaning, maintenance and facilities to cope with medical emergencies (first responder trained staff) until an ambulance can be called. These services are also appropriate to the residential accommodation on the site and economies in space and staffing can be envisaged were the theatre to manage the residential accommodation.
Michael has sketched a theatre form that also reflects the needs of a university town with a mature population. The auditorium is on three levels to allow for smaller (300 seat) audiences, to larger scale shows (600 places). There is extensive provision for the movement impaired with level floor entries to boxes at each level. There are standing spaces to provide for very cheap access but with up to 8 ticket prices possible in the seating. As befits a Georgian Town, the stage can present plays on the forestage with traditional forestage entry doors.
The economics of this integrated development would benefit from the anchor rent or purchase of the supermarket and the premium rent or sales of retirement flats with support services. The Woolmead has become an expensive site both in land cost and in development. Surely now is the time for a potential loss making development site to become a forward thinking development of an integrated community desired development, serving the town and reflecting the thrust of the NPPF.
AI visualisation of the Woolmead site showing how a theatre could be accommodated.