The City Of London Corporation last week approved the delivery plan for a major development scheme at the Barbican Centre, which the arts venue says will “revitalise its creative and performance spaces” and “expand opportunities for formal and informal use”.

The big revamp means much of the centre, other than its cinemas, will be closed for a year from June 2028. Though the venue says it will “programme differently with partners including residents the London Symphony Orchestra, Royal Shakespeare Company, associate companies and festivals, during this period”.

The Corporation has now fully committed to £191 million in funding that was first announced last year. During the first phase of the redevelopment work, an official statement explains, The Barbican’s “distinctive brutalist foyers, lakeside terrace and renowned conservatory will be sensitively restored and enhanced”.

Among other things, that will “open-up public spaces, create new experiences and upgrade vital infrastructure”.

Chris Hayward, Policy Chairman at the City Of London Corporation, says the approved plan “secures the Barbican Centre’s future as a world-leading cultural and economic powerhouse”.

Meanwhile William Russell, Chair of the Barbican board, adds “we’re not just preserving the centrepiece of the UK’s largest listed site but unlocking the full potential of a cultural icon – a new dawn has begun”.