REPAIRS can be made to the Gaiety Theatre’s leaking roof, government planners have ruled.
The Department of Community, Culture and Leisure, which owns the site, revealed the roof was leaking when it submitted a planning application to fix the problems in November.
Under the plan (12/01527/GB) remedial works can be carried out on the theatre’s barrel roof, including replacing fixings and flashings.
It involves replacing the defective felt coverings to the roof and lead flashings to the adjacent gutter.
Corrugated aluminium cladding will be installed to the proscenium wall – which separates the stage from the auditorium – above roof level to prevent further water ingress.
And the parapet wall to the north side of the building will be lowered by about 60cm to provide access to an existing gutter.
The existing cracked concrete coping on the wall will be removed and replaced with a new pre-cast watertight concrete coping.
In relation to the corrugated aluminium sheeting to the domed roof and lantern, the existing fittings will be removed and then replaced with new stainless steel fasteners complete with aluminium storm washers.
In addition, existing defective roof mounted smoke vents will be replaced with a ‘modern equivalent’ of matching size, appearance, colour and material.
The DCCL has also been granted registered building consent for the works (12/01528/CON).
The theatre, designed by Frank Matcham, was built in 1899. It underwent major restoration in 1976.