Odeon's fate in balance (From St Albans & Harpenden Review)

Odeon's fate in balance

4:38pm Thursday 7th December 2006 in News By Alex Lewis

THE demolition of the building housing the much-lamented former Odeon cinema will go ahead if approved by councillors next week.

District council officers have recommended to Monday's planning committee that the proposals by owner Wattsdown Ltd to replace the 1930s art deco building with a six-storey block of flats should be given the go-ahead.

If granted planning permission, the scheme would dash hopes that the cinema, which closed in 1995, could ever be restored to life.

Marion Hammant of the St Albans Civic Society said: "It is a landmark art deco building - we don't want to lose it.

"To take down this building for yet another anonymous block of flats would be dreadful.

"This is an important part of St Albans' heritage. We hope the councillors recognise this is something worth saving."

An earlier block of flats scheme, involving construction of a replica to the 1930s frontage, was turned down after a six-day public inquiry last year.

Businessman James Hannaway, who has successfully restored the Rex, a similar 1930's cinema in Berkhamsted, to working order, told the inquiry he wanted to do the same with the Odeon, as the auditorium and projection room were still in reasonable condition.

But any such scheme would have to buy out a legal covenant under which the building was sold to Wattsdown preventing it from being used to show films.

Mrs Hammant said the civic society was looking into ways to get round the covenant and that meanwhile the council should preserve the building by refusing permission for it to be demolished.

The previous plans were refused only because the proposed block of flats would have overlooked homes in Lower Paxton Road and the new scheme is designed to overcome this objection.

Wattsdown's application says the disused cinema has a "negative social impact" through encouraging vandalism and anti-social behaviour and claims the proposed block of 20 flats would "provide a fillip to the ongoing development and investment in London Road".

The council has received nearly 200 letters of objection to the plans and Mrs Hammant urged sympathisers to attend the meeting, which will begin in the Civic Centre, St Peter's Street, at 7pm.