Work starts on £22.5m college scheme
Work has started on the construction of a new £22.5m arts training and performance complex for the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama (RWCMD) in Cardiff.
Willmott Dixon has been appointed to lead the development of the new facility, which has been designed by Hamiltons architects and is set to feature a 450-seat concert hall and a 160-seat courtyard theatre. An exhibition gallery and drama rehearsal studios will also form part of the centre, which will see the drama wing and concert hall, together with the existing Bute Theatre linked by a public space under a unifying roof.
The project was given the green light by planners at Cardiff Council in September 2008, with the Welsh Assembly Government contributing £10m towards the total cost of the development. RWCMD principal Hilary Boulding said: "This new development will allow the college to greatly expand on its range of performances and community activities, as well as our interaction with creative industries both at home and internationally."
The college will remain open throughout the construction process, which is due to be completed in 2011.