Cannock’s former Prince of Wales Theatre is earmarked for demolition under regeneration plan

The theatre was closed in April as part of controversial measures to close a Cannock Chase Council budget gap.

Last month the authority’s planning committee gave the go-ahead for the neighbouring Forum Shopping Centre to be pulled down as part of the Cannock town centre regeneration project. But planning committee members were told at the meeting the theatre was not part of that demolition plan.

Cabinet members are now being asked to “agree to the inclusion of the former Prince of Wales theatre within the red line for the regeneration programme with the intention to demolish, subject to planning consent”, next week however. Other proposals due to be considered at the December 4 cabinet meeting include scrapping a new pedestrian crossing to replace the subway from Beecroft Road.

A report to the cabinet said: “In November 2024 Cabinet considered the findings of a review into leisure, culture and heritage provision and proposals to reduce council spend on the service; following a period of public consultation, the permanent closure of the Prince of Wales Theatre was confirmed on 12 February 2025. Further to this, Cabinet resolved on 4 September to not proceed with a Community Asset Transfer in respect of the theatre which concludes any plans for capital investment via (LUF) monies.

“This means that the council now hold an asset that requires significant investment to repurpose it and in the absence of a business case to support the continuation of theatre provision of a similar scale in that location without the continued need for subsidy the site needs to be decommissioned to avoid further additional ongoing costs. As the council currently has access to grant funding to address this, but only within a limited timeframe, it is recommended that Cabinet make the decision to include the theatre building within the red line of the regeneration programme and that work progresses, subject to planning consent.”