A carefully engineered solution to protect one of the UK’s most significant theatre ceilings

MJ Consulting Engineers acted as lead consultants on a sensitive and technically complex project at the Leeds Grand Theatre - home to one of the UK’s most highly protected plaster ceilings.

As a Grade II* listed building, the theatre’s ornate ceiling holds a Historic England protection rating shared by fewer than 8% of listed structures in the country. This placed extraordinary constraints on the project, with no direct interference or disturbance permitted to the ceiling during the essential roof works above.

Our Role

To safeguard the ceiling and enable external works, MJC designed a bespoke over-roof structure - effectively a temporary roof system installed above the existing building envelope.

This unique solution allowed us to:

• Support both the existing roof and delicate plaster ceiling from above

• Prevent any downward pressure or disturbance during roof refurbishment

• Maintain full compliance with conservation and listed building regulations

• Provide safe access for contractors to complete essential external works

The design and installation required close coordination with heritage consultants, contractors, and the venue’s operations team - all while ensuring theatre use could continue as planned.

The Result

The over-roof was successfully installed and dismantled without incident, allowing critical repair works to proceed while leaving the historic ceiling untouched. The completed roof upgrades ensure the long-term protection of one of Leeds’ most iconic performance spaces - with all stakeholders praising the care and engineering clarity MJC brought to the project.