The original plans for the WMC were that it would have a concert hall, however the final design of phase 1 did not include one. Space had been left, though, for a concert hall to be built in the future when phase 1 of the WMC was opened in 2004, and construction on phase 2 was then due to begin early in 2005. However, construction of phase 2 did not actually begin until April 2007. Phase 2 was designed to fit into the WMC's curved slate frontage, with an upper part constructed from timber.