New action on cinema

4:43pm Monday 19th August 2002

Comments (0)   Have your say »

TWO separate bids to build a new cinema in the city, including one with a housing development, could be on the table in the next few weeks nearly nine months after plans for a multiplex collapsed.

CineUK and Simons Estates were originally partners in the Bricket Road scheme that fell through in January after Simons complained of spiralling building costs.

Now both companies are said to be preparing independent proposals for the site.

District council leisure portfolio holder John Newman said he would be meeting with CineUK representatives who had asked to discuss their application with him before submitting an official bid.

Councillor Newman said he would also be speaking to developers Simons Estates which is thought to be preparing an application that will include residential units as well as a cinema.

"CineUK say they are not interested in dealing with anyone else so it's hard to see the two companies working together again," Councillor Newman said. "Their revised offer is still fairly similar to that which was submitted last year but Simons' is for a mixed-use application which would see houses being built on the site of the car park."

Although opposed to the original application, Councillor Newman said he would be happy to talk to both companies but has not given up hope of a smaller scale development linked to the Alban Arena.

"I have never been convinced that St Albans needs an eight-screen cinema and I am still looking into the possibility of building a three or four-screen development which could be linked in with the arena to utilise the underground space which is rarely used," he said.

A council spokesman said no formal applications had been received but admitted officers were discussing ways of "moving forward on a new cinema".

Planning permission was granted last year for an eight-screen complex on the Bricket Road site, but that decision angered the St Albans Civic Society and several councillors who argued the complex would not be in keeping with surrounding architecture.

District councillor Anthony Rowlands, who chaired the working party that campaigned for a new cinema, said he hoped the council would take the new proposals seriously.

"The absence of a cinema remains a huge gap in the provision of services for the people of St Albans," he said. "Many people, particularly young people, are very keen to see a cinema here and they have waited far too long. Hopefully this signals a fresh start."

CineUK confirmed it was interested in renewing its bid but refused to say when it would officially submit an application.

Simons Estates did not comment.