Council approves cinema demolition (From Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard)

Council approves cinema demolition

THE END has finally come for Cirencester's Angel Cinema.

A Cotswold District Council planning committee meeting approved an application, by Heritage Homes Wessex Limited and Capital Consultancy Group, for permission to demolish the Lewis Lane building, a cinema since the 1930s.

Members gave permission for 22 houses and six affordable flats/maisonettes to be built in its place and for a lodge on the site to be converted into a house.

Worried the development could cause car parking problems in the surrounding area, members gave consent subject to the applicants contributing to the cost of providing car parking somewhere in Cirencester.

Council planning officer, Marcus Kitchen, told the meeting the application had been amended since the committee refused it earlier this year on the grounds that it would damage important archaeology, disturb neighbours, be too big and have an unacceptable design.

He said the archaeological concerns had since been resolved, while a re-design meant the development would now visually enhance Lewis Lane.

His report said: "The existing cinema is not a particularly good example of its type and there is potential for the enhancement of Lewis Lane, which has suffered from some regrettable post-war developments."

Councillor Deryck Nash said: "I am very satisfied with the proposal now. "If there's a financial contribution that can be achieved with the developer at this stage, then I believe it should go towards car parking."

Councillor Sue Herdman said: "We've got a vastly improved scheme. "It will look attractive in what has been a fairly down-market street."

Councillor John Burgess said the development's future residents must be able to park all their cars onsite to prevent them adding to the parking congestion in The Avenue, Chester Street and Tower Street.

He said: "It's surrounded by areas with no on-street car parking.

"It's going to be impossible for residents around that site to park their cars.

"There must be full parking provision on site."

But Cllr Burgess' recommendation that the application be amended, to incorporate full car-park provision, was rejected because members feared affordable housing would have to be deleted to make room for it.