The Photographers' Gallery has had to delay the reopening of its premises to early 2012, BJP can confirm.

The gallery closed down on 19 September 2010 to undergo major construction works at its Ramillies Street site in Soho, London. While initial plans announced a late-2011 reopening, the gallery is now planning to unveil its new space, which will include three dedicated galleries, an education floor and an "enhanced Print Sales, Bookshop and Café", in 2012.

"As is the nature of all large-scale building projects and taking into account the break for Christmas, The Photographers' Gallery has decided to open its transformed building on 16 - 18 Ramillies Street in early 2012," says a spokeswoman. "The reopening of The Photographers' Gallery marks a key cultural event for London at the start of a year in which the world's attention will be focussed on the city."

The renovation - dubbed Capital Project internally, will cost £8.7m in total, partly financed through Arts Council England, which granted £3.5m to the gallery, and via a £1.41m remortgage against the current the Ramillies Street building. In February, the gallery held a print auction, which raised more than £325,000 to help finance the construction works.

For more information, visit www.photonet.org.uk.