WE DO have to feel sympathy for those professional planning officers working in the planning department of Cotswold District Council (CDC) when we read in the Standard that the Brewery Court cinema development was approved by the CDC planning committee “despite officers recommending it be refused”.

Those town planners must wonder why they spent years training and learning their profession when their expert recommendations are simply ignored by the lay people who are elected to “represent the people” and thus given the power to approve/refuse significant planning applications for our town. Would you seek a consultant physician’s advice and then ignore their recommendations if your health was at risk?

So why does the CDC planning committee ignore the recommendations of the planning officers and put the town at risk of being left with an enormous white elephant?

This is by no means the first time we have read about this type of thing happening in the Cotswold District.

One councillor, who actually voted in favour of the application, was quoted as saying “Nothing is perfect, the design could be better”. If the design could be bettered then surely wouldn’t you refuse the application and wait for a better design to come forward? Why rush to approve this application when the design is far from right?

The disadvantages of this proposal strongly outweigh the advantages. Yes, a cinema would be very welcome in Cirencester, but not on this particular site and not with the 100-bed student accommodation which even the RAU seem not to want. Four new restaurants in this area will no doubt adversely impact local independent eateries.

The choice of Everyman Cinemas usually means ticket prices in excess of £10, and on top of that there are car parking charges. Those wishing to see a film and eat at one of these new restaurants will not be able to park in the Brewery car park as that is limited to three hours during the day; that’s not enough time for a film and a meal. Far better to build the cinema on the outskirts of the town, thereby having easier car parking and less congestion in the town centre.

This Brewery Court cinema plan is so ill thought out we have to wonder why the proposal has been given approval in the first place. Maybe the CDC planning committee know something the rest of us don’t?

ANNE GOLICS

Cirencester