Roxy Cinema In Ulverston Gets Planning Permission For New Illuminated Entrance Canopy
The Roxy Cinema in Ulverston has secured planning permission for a new illuminated entrance canopy as part of ongoing improvements to the historic building on Brogden Street.
Westmorland and Furness Council approved the application, submitted by The Roxy Collective CIC, on 13 October 2026. The proposal covers the installation of a flat-roofed illuminated canopy above the cinema entrance, together with associated roof drainage connecting to a surface water highway outfall. The application was registered under reference 2026/1645/FPA and was determined through the council's delegated planning process.
The proposed canopy is intended to provide a new covered feature at the building's entrance while improving its external appearance. The planning application includes architectural drawings showing the proposed elevations and the arrangement of the new entrance structure. The lighting element will also provide additional visibility around the entrance, helping distinguish the cinema frontage within the surrounding town-centre streetscape.
The application was submitted on 19 August 2026 and went through a consultation period during September. Ulverston Town Council and the council's Highways and Lead Local Flood Authority were among the organisations consulted during the process. Planning permission was subsequently granted subject to conditions, although the published decision does not mean that construction has already started.
The Roxy is an important cultural building in Ulverston, having originally opened as a cinema in 1937. Today, the building accommodates several community and cultural facilities, including the Laurel and Hardy Museum, U-Gym and Redrock Productions. Its continued use as a cinema and wider community venue has made the preservation and improvement of the building an important part of local efforts to maintain Ulverston's cultural facilities.
The latest approval follows wider investment plans for the building. In April 2025, Westmorland and Furness Council confirmed a £500,000 grant for The Roxy Collective through the Borderlands Place Programme. The funding was intended to support improvements to the building, including bringing it up to modern building control standards, refurbishing unused rooms to create approximately 140 square metres of community space and improving the foyer to accommodate a visitor information point.
The wider programme also includes environmental improvements, such as a rainwater capture system, solar panels and associated battery storage. Earlier renovation work had already addressed structural issues, including repairs to the roof, while improvements to the exterior helped refresh the building's appearance and branding. The investment forms part of a broader ambition to strengthen Ulverston's cultural offer and encourage greater use of its historic town-centre buildings.
The Roxy development is also connected to wider plans for a cultural quarter around the cinema and neighbouring Coronation Hall. The Borderlands-funded investment programme aims to improve facilities, encourage visitors and create additional opportunities for community activities. Improvements to public spaces between the venues are also intended to support events and strengthen connections between Ulverston's cultural attractions.
The approval of the new canopy represents another step in the ongoing development of the Roxy building. The next stage will depend on the project progressing in accordance with the planning conditions and the availability of the necessary arrangements for carrying out the work. The council's planning record confirms that permission has been granted, but no construction timetable has been confirmed in the published application details.
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