On Monday 31 December, Kingsway International Christian Centre (KICC) held its 4th event at 25 Church Road since opening the building on 11 August 2012.

The event was billed and advertised as ‘Mighty Manifestations’ – Celebration, drama, dance, praise, music – An evening of Music, dance and drama.

In reality, it is believed that this was KICC South-west Church’s ‘Watchnight Service 2012’ which in previous years – 2009, 2010 and 2011 has been held at Fairfield Halls, Croydon and where it has been described and advertised as a service

The ‘event’, which started at 8pm and continued past midnight, was hosted by KICC South-west church’s resident Pastor and Chief Executive Officer Dipo Oluyomi and supported by rising star Shola Victor Sajowa who is a major worship leader at KICC and ministers in songs.

Watchnight is one of the most important dates in the Evangelical Pentecostal branch of Christianity’s calendar, as explained on KICC’s website http://www.kicc.org.uk/conferences/watchnight/tabid/74/default.aspx

KICC’s Watchnight is a religious service where ministering, prayer and praise take place with a heavy emphasis on the music. Or, as described in KICC’s Global Watchnight ‘Mighty Manifestations’ event advert, which also took place on at KICC’s new centre Prayer City near Maidstone, it is “a powerful time of celebration, prayer, prophecy and praise”.

The Prayer City ‘Mighty Manifestations’ advert was almost identical to the advert for KICC Southwest’s ‘Mighty Manifestations’ advert, except the wording for the event at 25 Church Road had been tweaked to avoid mention of  the words ‘prayer’, ‘prophecy’ and importantly ‘Watchnight’. Please compare them. The event at Prayer City was hosted by Pastor Matthew Ashimolowo and the event at 25 Church Road by Pastor Dipo Oluyomi who is 2nd in command at KICC and trying to establish the SW Church in Crystal Palace.

Spot the difference

Was this a religious service for KICC’s SW Wimbledon congregation which took place at 25 Church Road (open to the public to build a local congregation membership)  and was KICC Southwest’s advert specifically adapted to avoid using words such as ‘Watchnight’, and ‘Prayer’ to get round the planning use of the building which as we know is D2. (Although we would note that Drama is not a D2 use). We’d love to know what you think.

It is our view that this was not an ordinary gospel concert. It was much more than that – it was an important religious service to celebrate ‘Watchnight’ in the evangelical Pentecostal Christian tradition and falls within the D1 Planning Use Class.

Traffic and parking chaos at KICC’s ‘offical opening’ and first ‘unlawful’ business conference
On 25 August, KICC officially opened 25 Church Road holding a Dedication Service and ‘Business’ Conference for their church members. As predicted, traffic and parking chaos ensued (the building was not even at full capacity). Many attendees parked down in Crystal Palace Park without permission from Bromley council (what will happen when the weather is less favourable and there is a park event on?), whilst others were seen obstructing traffic along Church Road  and other residential streets, pulling up on double yellow lines, at the bus stop and the loading and disabled parking bays to drop off members. KICC ‘traffic’ stewards  were also observed commandeering parking spaces and illegally directing traffic along Church Road. The Campaign would like to thank volunteers and members of the Gipsy Hill Residents Asociation, who monitored the event and recorded evidence to defend any future applications or appeal by KICC for change of use of 25 Church Road to a Place of Worship. A report has been submitted to Bromley council.

Thank you again to everyone who took part in our on-line survey of KICC’s ‘Open Day’ held on 11 August 2012. Below is a summary of the survey findings and attached are the pdfs of the main report and annex if you would like to read more.

The messages coming through are familiar ones, but they demonstrate the concern that the local community feels about KICC’s proposals and more importantly KICC’s lack of clarity about their intentions for the building. If this was meant as an exercise to win “hearts and minds”, it has had the opposite effect judging by some of the very balanced and objective correspondence the campaign has received.

Thank you again for your continued support – your views are important to us.

Summary of Survey of 25 Church Road ‘Open Day’, 11th August 2012

On 11th August 2012, Kingsway International Christian Centre (KICC) held an open day at 25 Church Road. The ‘Open Day’ came after three years of asking KICC to consult the community. This was our first opportunity as a community to speak to KICC about their plans and came as a result of a meeting with the Campaign and our MPs in July, which KICC, finally, accepted.

The Picture Palace Campaign encouraged attendees to complete an online survey. Nearly a hundred people responded before the closing date.

96% of respondents said they were a local resident.

The main findings were:

• Most people attended to find out more about KICC’s plans and to see what it had done to the building.
• Many are concerned about KICC’s intentions and the lack of clarity surrounding them.
• A widespread view is that KICC’s ultimate aim is to open a place of worship, with activities in the interim generally orientated towards religious-themed events such as concerts, events and conferences.
• 97% of respondents think KICC’s proposals are not a good use of the building. They feel that they fail to make any positive contribution to the local community, creating problems of traffic, parking and noise for residents and traders.
• Nearly all respondents would prefer a cinema or other inclusive leisure use.
• Almost all think that KICC’s proposals would not help local traders or contribute to the economic, social and cultural regeneration of Crystal Palace.
• Many feel the proposals reflect the interests of a non-local specific community, who would be unlikely to use local businesses.
• Two-thirds of respondents consider that KICC’s proposals do not fall within the D2 ‘leisure’ use. Just 3% think that they do.

120819 open day survey report

120819 open day survey Annex A verbatim

Team CP – time to dig deep! Make the Campaign count this Saturday

25 Church Road – latest news

We’re down…

It has to be said: things are not looking great for those of us wanting a cinema at 25 Church Road.

Kingsway International Christian Centre (KICC) will shortly be holding two events at 25, Church Road to announce its presence and start operating in Crystal Palace:

• Saturday 11 August – an ‘Open Day at the Open Door’, 10am-6pm
• Saturday 25 August – an opening ceremony (‘dedication service’), together with a seminar and exhibition called ‘Connecting businesses in the UK and Africa’.

It is unclear how KICC intends to use 25 Church Road subsequently. It does not have planning permission for a church.

…BUT NOT OUT!

The Picture Palace Campaign (PPC) remains determined to bring a cinema to Crystal Palace, ideally at 25 Church Road. And a leading cinema operator still wants to come to Crystal Palace, and would still be willing to buy 25 Church Road. This strengthens our case for retaining 25 Church Rd as a place of public entertainment (D2 Assembly and Leisure Use, in planning terms).

What happened when we and our MPs met KICC’s Trustees

The PPC has had several meetings with local MPs Jim Dowd, Tessa Jowell and Malcolm Wicks. We and they have spent a couple of years trying to get round a table with KICC’s trustees and senior management team. They finally accepted and a meeting took place on 11 July. Here’s a summary of what they told us, and our view of it.

• KICC gave an express undertaking that there would be no religious activities at 25 Church Road under its current planning use.  

We say: Nothing has really changed since KICC submitted its original planning application for change of use in August 2009. Far from responding to the community’s expressed desire for an entertainment venue which is open to all and maximises regeneration opportunities, it seems to us that KICC’s long-term objective is to replicate the religious worship and instruction activities conducted at its Walthamstow church and other venues across London.

• KICC said it had produced a business plan and intended to hire out the building for conferences and ‘community’ space.

We say: The hireable community space would not provide anything in addition to the facilities already available in the area. In any case, conferences do not fall within the D2 use class. 

• KICC stressed that many of its proposed activities –  including a Saturday Cinema Club, zumba and keep-fit classes, business seminars, counselling, and work with schools – would fall into the D2 category. It has already installed a single-screen cinema for showing family-friendly films on a conditional basis (that is subject to KICC’s approval).

We say: The ‘family cinema’ is a poor substitute for a professionally run and programmed cinema. And while KICC assures us that its other proposed activities are legitimately ‘D2’ in nature, they are unable to give us any information about them.

• KICC said it was mindful of the impact of a large group of people coming into Crystal Palace and would be sensitive to our needs and concerns.

We say: Why then is KICC holding a ‘Dedication Service’ and ‘Business Seminar and Exhibition’ (both D1 uses) ‘where over 1,200 attendees are expected to attend’, when its own planning consultant said a more intensive use had “‘the potential to cause significant noise/disturbance and parking problems in the local area” which would be detrimental to the economic viability and vitality of the town centre.

• KICC gave a sincere apology for any past failings in their approach to public consultation, saying they wanted to “move forward and correct wrongs, and to positively engage with the Crystal Palace community”. It offered to hold an Open Day to set out its intentions more clearly and transparently.

We say: It is unfortunate that, after three years of no engagement with the wider community about 25 Church Road, KICC has chosen the final Saturday of the Olympics to hold this event.

We know very well the strength of local feeling in favour of a cinema, the positive effect that this would have on jobs and opportunities in the area, and the strong desire to preserve the existing D2 use. 

It was very telling that KICC confirmed its ultimate aim is still to secure 25 Church Road as a ‘Place of Worship’ for its Wimbledon congregation, as well as members from across South London, Kent and Surrey. This is why it originally bought the building, and why the change of use was refused by Bromley planning committee in 2009 on the grounds that:

 “The loss of an important entertainment/leisure use within Use Class D2 and the introduction of a mixed use including a place of worship within Use Class D1, would result in a reduction in the range of facilities provided within the town centre, detrimental to the proper functioning of the daytime and evening economy and harmful to the social, cultural and economic characteristics of the area”.

What we did

Following the meeting with KICC, our legal and planning specialists helped us make a detailed case for D2 enforcement. On 30July, we sent a nine-page letter to Bromley Council, copied to local ward councillors, expressing our concerns regarding the inappropriate use of the building and the potential loss of our only significant D2 leisure venue.

Now what?

Bromley is considering the issue from all sides. It wants to see its D2 ruling enforced, but it is also obliged to consider KICC’s ‘community’ proposals based on evidence rather than concerns.

That means allowing KICC to go ahead on the basis it has proposed. If it then turns out to be operating unlawfully, that is within a religious context or outside the D2 use class, we have a substantial basis on which to object. The MPs have asked us to keep them closely informed.

What can we do?

Our focus remains on a ‘Cinema for Crystal Palace’. It is not for us to comment on KICC as an organisation.

So the next stage of the campaign is to monitor very closely how 25 Church Road is going to be used. That’s why we’ll be attending KICC’s Open Day this Saturday, 11 August. We hope you’ll take this opportunity too, and give us your feedback. 

We would also encourage you to make your ward councillors and MPs aware of your views. Thank you for your continuing support.

THREE YEARS ON! THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT!

It’s nearly three years since KICC purchased 25 Church Road as a D1 ‘Place of Worship’ for its Wimbledon congregation, narrowly outbidding independent cinema operator City Screen that runs Picturehouse Cinemas.

In December 2009, Bromley Council recognised the overwhelming strength of community feeling that retaining 25 Church Road’s D2 “Entertainment” planning status was vital to maintaining and enhancing the vitality of the Upper Norwood Triangle. In particular Bromley refused the application by KICC for a change of use for 25 Church Road from D2 Public Entertainment to D1 Religious Worship because it would involve:

“the loss of an important entertainment and leisure use … which would result in a reduction in the range of facilities within the town centre detrimental to the proper functioning of the daytime and evening economy and harmful to the social cultural and economic characteristics of the area”.

The importance of maintaining the historic character of our town centre, whilst enhancing economic and cultural vitality, is also echoed by the planning policies of Croydon and Lambeth councils and the conservation area status they have designated to the rest of the Triangle.

FAILURE TO CONSULT

Like many thousands of you, the Picture Palace Campaign hoped that the contribution of 25 Church Road to both the local architectural heritage and the cultural and economic vitality of the Triangle would continue under the ownership of City Screen.

Whilst that hope received a blow when City Screen was outbid for 25 Church Road by KICC, (if City Screen had been successful we would have had a cinema up and running by now), we later came to believe that KICC itself had also come to recognise the critical importance of 25 Church Road to regeneration when it confirmed in June 2010 that it would not be lodging an appeal against Bromley’s decision to refuse change of use. We were encouraged in that belief by KICC’s indication in public statements and press coverage that it “did not wish to be seen as “fighting” the very community that it wishes to serve”, that it always intended for the building to have a large element of community use and that it was considering a variety of future building use options which would “most benefit the whole community.”

Critically, KICC also indicated that it would be releasing a fuller statement of its plans for the building and that it would consult with the community over those plans in order to identify uses in line with its current entertainment use as stipulated by D2. This might include a cinema showing family films as well as amateur dramatics and concerts, including Christian music.

We hoped that this marked the beginning of a dialogue, something which the leader of Bromley Council, Stephen Carr, had also encouraged KICC to enter into.

To our immense disappointment, after another 24 months, the indication that KICC intended to consult with the community and explore which D2 uses would “most benefit the whole community” appeared to be nothing more than an empty gesture.

The suggested consultation has never materialised and KICC appears totally unwilling to discuss its plans to use the building for D2 entertainment purposes or to clarify its intentions by putting them up to any form of public scrutiny.

In 2010 and 2011, KICC failed to take up invitations by our three local MPs to meet with them and discuss the very real concerns of their constituents and in our view has wholly failed to act upon the guidance of their regulator, the Charity Commission, which expressly recommends to charities that

“Some charity projects involving the acquisition of land arouse opposition locally, even to the extent of active hostility. Where this is likely, trustees are advised to plan carefully in advance, to consult widely and to provide full information about their proposals and the reasons for them”.

More worryingly, despite the failure to secure a change of use to religious worship, it was reported in March 2011 that KICC had indicated to our then Town Centre Manager that, amongst other uses, it was still considering hosting religious services in the building. Whilst this was later strenuously denied by KICC, it is notable that KICC has now held two religious concerts in Crystal Palace Park and have also revealed that it intends to rename 25 Church Road as “The Open Door”, a name linked to KICC by a new charity, incorporated in March 2011, called The KICC Open Door, whose express purpose is the advancement of the Christian religion and the furtherance of the charitable works.

In March 2011, KICC also told Bromley Council that “they were intending to use the hall for concerts, drama, exhibitions and conferences, and that the building will also provide a single screen cinema, bookshop and coffee shop”.

Bromley Council advised KICC that its revised plans for the building “would not appear to fall within the Use Class D2 and would appear to require planning permission”.

FURTHER PLANNING APPLICATIONS REFUSED

In November 2011, hundreds of local residents and traders objected again to KICC’s latest planning applications to undertake external alterations to the building.

The proposed external works included:

1. Canopy and alterations to front elevation including external decorations colour scheme;

2. Non illuminated wall mounted advertisement display board;

3. Soft and Hard landscaping including benches and bicycle stands.

These were refused. Comments by Bromley Council’s planning officer in the planning report rejecting the applications stated that:

“There have been a large number of objections to the three applications and many of these are concerned with the potential use of the building and its implications. The building has been refurbished internally and KICC advised at a meeting with a council officer in March 2011 that it will accommodate various uses including drama, conferences, music associated with the Christian community, income generating activities of a ‘business centre’ nature and community uses. The applicant has since confirmed in writing that the use of the building will fall under Use class D2 (bingo hall/cinema etc). There remains concern that the use of the building may not fall under Class D2 and to date neither a Certificate of Lawfulness application nor planning application have not been received regarding the future use.”

Since being refused “change of use” in 2009 and “permission” to undertake external works in November 2011, KICC has pressed on regardless and undertaken extensive external and internal renovation works to the building – but for what purpose?

Many local residents and traders have raised their concerns with the campaign.

MAY 2012 – PPC WRITES TO OUR MPS

In May 2012, the Picture Palace Campaign has written again to our three local MPs asking them to raise this issue directly with KICC’s trustees. We have also asked Bromley council to undertake an inspection of the building to ascertain how KICC intends to use it.

We will post a further update when we have more news. If you would like to get involved in the campaign or find out more, you can find us at the Crystal Palace Overground Festival. Please do come along and say hello.

Thank you again for your support! 

URGENT NEWS FROM PICTURE PALACE CAMPAIGN (PPC) AND CRYSTAL PALACE TRIANGLE PLANNING GROUP (CPTPG)

SOMETHING THAT YOU CAN DO – BUT FIRST, THANK YOU FOR CONTINUED SUPPORT!

The Picture Palace Campaign would like to say a big thank you to everyone who has been in touch with offers of support for the campaign and given us views on how the campaign should go forward. We have not forgotten you and we will be in touch directly very soon. Please bear with us!

We would also like to thank the huge number of people who came along to talk to us at the Crystal Palace Overground Festival in August.

YOUR FEEDBACK!

Over 400 people took part in our survey at the Festival, which is fantastic! The feedback has been really positive and encouraged us to continue to campaign for a cinema in Crystal Palace, however long it takes.

An overwhelming majority of you told us that you want the campaign’s focus to remain on restoring a cinema at 25 Church Road because you recognise the heritage of the building and its potential if used correctly to be a key cultural anchor for the town centre, a fantastic vehicle for local meaning and identity, and a unique economic asset for Crystal Palace.

Over 70% also told us that you want the campaign to continue to object to Kingsway International Christian Centre’s (KICC) proposed uses for 25 Church Road because they fall outside of the D2 “Entertainment” planning use. You also told us that many of you would object too because together we fought hard to retain the entertainment use.

WHAT IS HAPPENING NOW!

KICC has applied to Bromley council for planning permission to carry out external works at 25 Church Road.

We all know that KICC has continually failed to consult or take any regard of our views or explore with us which D2 uses would “most benefit the whole community”, despite repeated requests.

We believe this failure to consult has contributed to KICC misunderstanding the importance and contribution of this landmark building to the Conservation Area and the town centre.

KICC’s proposals include making substantial and ill-considered alterations to the art deco facade of the building, alterations which in the words of Bromley’s Advisory Panel for Conservation Areas “fail to respect the architectural integrity of the building”.

KICC is also proposing to install a huge advertising hoarding on the side of the building which will also be detrimental to the integrity of the building and harm the conservation area.

25 Church Road is the best and only example in Crystal Palace of an art deco cinema. It has architectural and historical merit, particularly in its detailing. It is part of our shared heritage.

KICC has a unique opportunity to restore 25 Church Road back to its “former glory” and make it a showpiece and benchmark for quality for Church Road and the town centre. Once the building has been badly restored another piece of our heritage will have been lost forever!

This is why we are asking Bromley council to refuse these applications, and would also urge you to object to them too. The latest applications appear to be part of the final preparations by KICC to commence operations at 25 Church Road, following significant internal structural work.

We are aware that other local groups share our concerns and will also be objecting.

The proposed external works include:

1. Ref. No: 11/01541/FULL1 – Canopy and alterations to front elevation including external decorations colour scheme; Comments should be sent to the planning offices at Bromley Civic Centre by 21 September

2. Ref. No: 11/01663/ADV – Non illuminated wall mounted advertisement display board; Comments should be sent to the planning offices at Bromley Civic Centre by 14 September

3. Ref. No: 11/01537/FULL1 – Soft and Hard landscaping including benches and bicycle stands. Comments should be sent to the planning offices at Bromley Civic Centre by 13 September

To view the application documentation please follow the links above.

We would ask you to look closely at all three applications, including the detailed drawings which accompany them, as they appear to give a far more candid view of what KICC plans to do with the building than the actual applications indicate.

WHY OBJECT?

For the reasons we set out above and below we believe there are very good reasons to object, both as a matter of principle and on planning and conservation grounds. In particular we believe it is imperative that Crystal Palace residents and traders use the opportunity to object as a means:

(a) To mark disapproval of KICC’s failure to recognise the importance of this landmark building to our town centre; and

(b) To send a clear message that we expect KICC to honour its promise of consulting with local residents.

The campaign of objection should continue until such time as KICC recognises that our views and wishes can no longer be ignored and a full and proper community consultation must be undertaken.

The PPC and the CPTPG are preparing detailed objections to these applications but we would urge you to demonstrate the strength of feeling by sending Bromley your own views.

WHY IS 25 CHURCH ROAD A HERITAGE ASSET AND VITAL TO SHAPING THE FUTURE OF THE CRYSTAL PALACE TRIANGLE?

25 Church Road sits within Bromley’s Crystal Palace Park Conservation Area and is directly opposite Croydon’s Upper Norwood Triangle Conservation Area.

The PPC and the CPTPG have always believed that this building forms an integral part of the historic character of the town centre and that its architectural heritage should be preserved and enhanced. It is our shared heritage.

Moreover we believe that 25 Church Road has a unique and vital contribution to play in the future vitality and viability of the Triangle and the objectives of Bromley, Croydon and Lambeth to promote regeneration here.

That view reflects the fact that 25 Church Road is the only large D2 entertainment venue in the town centre and that it is a landmark building with a long history of providing local entertainment from its roots as a 1920s art deco cinema through to its use as a bingo hall as recently as 2009.

In December 2009 Bromley Council recognised the overwhelming strength of community feeling that retaining 25 Church Road’s D2 “Entertainment” planning status was vital to maintaining and enhancing the vitality of the Upper Norwood Triangle. In particular Bromley refused the application by KICC for a change of use for 25 Church Road from D2 Public Entertainment to D1 Religious Worship because it would involve

“the loss of an important entertainment and leisure use … which would result in a reduction in the range of facilities within the town centre detrimental to the proper functioning of the daytime and evening economy and harmful to the social cultural and economic characteristics of the area”.

The importance of maintaining the historic character of our town centre, whilst enhancing economic and cultural vitality, is also echoed by the planning policies of Croydon and Lambeth councils and the conservation area status they have designated to the rest of the Triangle.

FAILURE TO CONSULT

Like many thousands of you, the PPC and CPTPG committees hoped that the contribution of 25 Church Road to both the local architectural heritage and the cultural and economic vitality of the Triangle would continue under the ownership of City Screen.

Whilst that hope received a blow when City Screen was outbid for 25 Church Road by KICC, (if City Screen had been successful we would have had a cinema up and running by now), we later came to believe that KICC itself had also come to recognise the critical importance of 25 Church Road to regeneration when it confirmed in June 2010 that it would not be lodging an appeal against Bromley’s decision to refuse change of use. We were encouraged in that belief by KICC’s indication in public statements and press coverage that it “did not wish to be seen as “fighting” the very community that it wishes to serve”, that it always intended for the building to have a large element of community use and that it was considering a variety of future building use options which would “most benefit the whole community.”

Critically, KICC also indicated that it would be releasing a fuller statement of its plans for the building and that it would consult with the community over those plans in order to identify uses in line with its current entertainment use as stipulated by D2. This might include a cinema showing family films as well as amateur dramatics and concerts, including Christian music.

We hoped that this marked the beginning of a dialogue, something which the leader of Bromley Council, Stephen Carr, had also encouraged KICC to enter into.

To our immense disappointment, after another 14 months, the indication that KICC intended to consult with the community and explore which D2 uses would “most benefit the whole community” appears to be nothing more than an empty gesture.

The suggested consultation has never materialised and KICC appears totally unwilling to discuss its plans to use the building for D2 entertainment purposes or to clarify its intentions by putting them up to any form of public scrutiny. KICC has failed to take up invitations by our three local MPs to meet with them and discuss the very real concerns of their constituents and in our view has wholly failed to act upon the guidance of their regulator, the Charity Commission, which expressly recommends to charities that

“Some charity projects involving the acquisition of land arouse opposition locally, even to the extent of active hostility. Where this is likely, trustees are advised to plan carefully in advance, to consult widely and to provide full information about their proposals and the reasons for them”.

More worryingly, despite the failure to secure a change of use to religious worship, it was reported earlier this year that KICC had indicated to our Town Centre Manager that, amongst other uses, it was still considering hosting religious services in the building. Whilst this was later strenuously denied by KICC, it is notable that KICC held its first religious concert in Crystal Palace Park this summer labelled ‘A New Beginning” and have now revealed that it intends to rename 25 Church Road as “The Open Door”, a name linked to KICC by a new charity, incorporated in March 2011, called The KICC Open Door, whose express purpose is the advancement of the Christian religion and the furtherance of the charitable works.

WHAT YOU SHOULD DO?

If you agree with us that the current state of affairs is wholly unacceptable, we encourage you to object. We have set out some suggested grounds of objection below and would please urge residents and traders to:

• WRITE an objection however brief

• EMAIL your objections to: planning@bromley.gov.uk ; or

• SEND your objections to: Town Planning, Civic Centre, Stockwell Close, Bromley BR1 3UH

NB: Please remember to include your name and address and to quote the relevant planning application reference numbers above.

• COPY your objection to your ward councillors and Member of Parliament.

• Contact details can be found on our website: www.picture-palace.org

• COPY your objection to the Picture Palace Campaign: admin@picture-palace.org and Crystal Palace Triangle Planning Group: mailtocptpg@gmail.com

FUTURE ACTIONS

In the next few months we will also be inviting local residents to mark their displeasure and objection through other means such as objecting to any application by KICC for a public entertainment licence and another peaceful protest outside 25 Church Road to mark the commencement of KICC’s operations.

If you are interested in participating in these actions please let us know by contacting us.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED ATTENTION AND COMMITMENT TO THE CAMPAIGN.

SAMPLE GROUNDS FOR OBJECTION TO:

APPLICATION REF NO: 11/01541/FULL1 – CANOPY AND ALTERATIONS TO FRONT ELEVATION

APPLICATION REF NO: 11/01663/ADV – NON ILLUMINATED WALL MOUNTED ADVERTISEMENT DISPLAY BOARD

APPLICATION REF NO: 11/01537/FULL1 – SOFT AND HARD LANDSCAPING INCLUDING BENCHES AND BICYCLE STANDS

Please feel free to cut and paste those grounds you agree with into your objection or use your own words – we know how fantastic the community is at making its voice heard.

1. OVERALL OBJECTIONS TO ALL THREE APPLICATIONS

I am writing to express my very strong objections to all three planning applications for the following reasons:

A) APPLICANT’S PROPOSED USE OF THE BUILDING

Objection Point 1

The applications should only be considered against the context of a full description by the applicant of the proposed use of the building. The plans reveal that the applicant has incorporated an office, waiting room and meeting room into the internal layout of the building together with a bookshop.

How are these connected to the D2 “Entertainment” use of the building?

The plans are very similar to the applicant’s planning application for change of use to D1 Place of Worship, which was objected to by over 3,000 residents and refused by the council in 2009. The applicant originally indicated that it intended to relocate its south London administrative headquarters to 25 Church Road as part of that application.

The plans suggest that the applicant is intending a mixed use of the building which it does not having planning permission for.

Objection Point 2

The applicant has still, despite previous promises to consult with the community and publish its plans, wholly failed to set out the nature of its proposed D2 Entertainment use including hours of operation, numbers in the building, number of events and what those events will be.

In those circumstances it is impossible to properly consider whether the ultimate use of the building is exclusively D1 use, mixed use or exclusively D2 use and how the current proposals inter-relate to that proposed use and are necessary to support that use.

B) FAILURE TO PRESERVE OR ENHANCE THE CHARACTER OR APPEARANCE OF THE CONSERVATION AREA

Objection Point 3

The applicant acknowledges, at paragraph 2.2 of the Design and Access statement accompanying application no: 11/01541, that the building has “lost the appeal of its former glory”.

The quality of the external appearance of 25 Church Road has been allowed to deteriorate in recent years, with the external appearance slowly but surely incorporating poor design and poor quality of materials wholly out of keeping with the conservation area status and architectural heritage of this art deco building.

The previous introduction of uPVC windows, three large billboards and an ugly external canopy all fail to reflect the grandeur of the building used as a cinema at the height of the Hollywood cinema years in the 1940s and 1950s.

The current applications do nothing to reverse this decline. If anything they accelerate it by destroying the symmetry and architectural form of the building’s entrance, introducing an additional uPVC window and additional street clutter and visual intrusion from an advertising board.

The proposals will harm the character and appearance of the building and the conservation area

2. PLANNING APPLICATION REF NO: 11/01541/FULL1 – CANOPY AND ALTERATIONS TO FRONT ELEVATION INCLUDING EXTERNAL DECORATIONS COLOUR SCHEME

Objection Point 4 – Proposed alterations to Canopy and entrance

25 Church Road is a very large building, dominating a substantial part of the commercial area of Church Road, thereby making a significant impact on the look, feel and character of this part of the District Centre and the adjoining streets.

The building is the best and only example in Crystal Palace of a 1920’s art deco cinema. It has architectural and historical merit, particularly in its detailing.

The proposed alteration to the entrance doors and fanlight above would be detrimental to those details and to the architectural integrity of the building.

Raising the existing canopy by 1344mm and enlarging the existing entrance by destroying the traditional art deco fanlights above the entrance doors to create a new and higher full height modern glazed entrance will destroy the symmetry and architectural form of the building.

One of the unique features of this art deco building is also the geometric surround which frames the entrance. Moving the canopy to sit at the head of the new opening will mean this unique feature will be lost.

Objection Point 5 – Proposed replacement window

The uPVC windows at first floor level are a previous unlawful alteration to the building when it was a bingo hall. They are uPVC replacements which have thick chunky frames and no symmetry or linear connection with the art-deco facade and the decorative raised geometric stucco work. They have no place on an art deco building.

The applicant’s proposal to reinstate the left hand window which is currently blocked seeks to reflect the poor and out of character alterations made to the building by the previous owners.

The proposed changes to the external appearance set out in Objection Points 4 & 5 fail to recognise the importance and heritage of this landmark building and:

a) Do not comply with the provisions of UDP Policy BE11 that any alteration should preserve or enhance the character or appearance of conservation areas, respect or complement the form and materials of existing building and respect and incorporate in the design features that contribute to the character, appearance or historic value of the area

b) Do not comply with the provisions of UDP Policy BE13 that “In commercial parts of conservation areas, the design, form and materials of shopfronts, signs and fascias are acknowledged as making an important contribution to local character and The Council will seek to ensure that a high standard of design and materials is achieved in any replacement shopfront and advertisements in such areas”.

c) Do not comply with the provisions of UDP Policy BE13 that “The retention or reintroduction of traditional features can add significantly to the character and appearance of the host building and the conservation area in general, and will be encouraged”

d) Do not comply with the guidance in the CPP Conservation Area SPG that “As shop fronts are replaced…………………..the Council will encourage the reinstatement of traditional design elements……that are more appropriate to the age and form of the host building.” In this case the age and form is 1920’s Art Deco

e) Do not comply with the guidance in the CPP Conservation Area SPG in that the proposal to use UPVC windows detracts from the character of the conservation area and reinforces existing deterioration caused by the use of such windows i.e. “Some traditionally constructed first and second floor windows have been replaced in aluminium or UPVC. Such alterations have also been detrimental to the character of the area”

3. PLANNING APPLICATION REF NO: 11/01663/ADV – NON ILLUMINATED WALL MOUNTED ADVERTISEMENT DISPLAY BOARD

Since designating the conservation area, Bromley council has been largely successful in removing the clutter of advertisements along Church Road, including on the former wood yard at the corner of Milestone Road (now flats built by Buxton Homes), the large board on the flank wall of the Crystal Palace Hotel (what is now Noodle Time), and the huge illuminated sign in the grounds of the Grape & Grain at the corner of Anerley Hill. Although having initially refused advertisement consent for the three hoardings fronting 25 Church Road, that decision was overturned on appeal. The residential character of this section of Church Road has also been reinforced by a number of developments involving new build or change of use.

Objection Point 6

The proposed advertisement display board in non-traditional materials, mounted high above ground level on the flank wall of the cinema building, is therefore at complete variance with Bromley’s long-established policy for this area and should be refused because it fails to reflect the architectural integrity of the building and is harmful to the character and appearance of the Conservation Area.

Bromley’s supplementary planning guidance for the Crystal Palace Park Conservation Area includes a statement on advertisements:

6.8 The Council wishes to ensure that businesses in conservation areas are fully able to advertise their goods and services. However, it will also wish to reduce the visual clutter that poorly designed and located advertisements can sometimes cause. Advertisements, which require consent, will be restricted to properties, which depend on advertising to carry out their business.

6.9 Advertisements, which, in the Council’s opinion, detract from the character of the area, will be resisted or made subject to discontinuance action where necessary. New and replacement signs should be designed in a way that minimises their adverse impact they should not be displayed at first floor level or above, especially on exposed flank walls. Traditional forms of signage (painted boards or brass plates) are to be preferred over modem forms (such as Perspex or posters). New illuminated advertisements are not felt to be appropriate in streets with an established residential character.

4. PLANNING APPLICATION REF NO: 11/01537/FULL1 – SOFT AND HARD LANDSCAPING INCLUDING BENCHES AND BICYCLE STANDS

Objection Point 7

Whilst the removal of the three hoardings and landscaping of the space left is to be supported as is the introduction of bicycle stands, the landscaping proposals appear generic and unimaginative and would not contribute successfully to the building’s setting or the general street scene.

The applicant has also failed to provide details for the maintenance and upkeep of the proposed landscape features.

Kingsway International Christian Centre (KICC) has told Croydon’s district centre investment manager Sharon Baldwin that it is ready to open up in the former cinema at 25 Church Road and hold religious services there.

The possibility of a cinema returning to Crystal Palace came a little nearer on Thursday 13 January 2011, when Bromley council’s development control committee granted conditional planning permission to convert the Grape & Grain public house and Bigger Picture Gallery at the top of Anerley Hill.

There are now three possible cinema venues in the district centre: the 2/2A Anerley Hill conversion, restoration of the purpose-built cinema at 25 Church Road, and wholesale redevelopment of the Victory Place/Carberry Road site on Westow Street.

The Anerley Hill site is the most recent of these proposals. Future Projections, a cinema development and installation company based in West Norwood, applied in October to install a 203-seat cinema into SG Smith’s former car showroom. An ancillary foyer and café bar would be in the building that is now the ground floor of the Grape & Grain, with a 51-seat bijou cinema in the lounge area closest to the Church Road junction. Future Projections’ planning application assures that there would be no increase in height or footprint either of the pub or the showroom.

In granting permission, Bromley has agreed that the cinema can operate seven days a week, but only between the hours of 09:30am and 11:30pm. Development must be started within three years, or the permission will lapse. Future Projections has also been asked to provide more disabled parking spaces and a condition has been placed preventing any further intensification of the site either internally or externally under this current planning permission.

10 councillors voted for the application, 3 against and 4 for deferment.

Future Projections had advised Bromley that it has been in negotiations with the freeholders of SG Smith and the Grape and Grain who have both confirmed their intention to sell or seek alternative lease arrangements. It also confirmed to Bromley that it had no intention of making changes to the first floor accommodation over the pub as a consequence of its application for change of use to D2 “entertainment.”

Future Projections develops and installs cinemas for a range of clients from Everyman cinemas, Working Title, Curzon cinema and City Screen amongst others. Its architects, Burrell Foley Fischer, have an extensive arts based client list including City Screen, and are leaders in the field of cinema and theatre design.

The Picture Palace Campaign is about bringing a cinema back to Crystal Palace, recognising that 25 Church Road as a purpose built cinema is the best location for the economic, social and cultural regeneration of Church Road and Crystal Palace. We look forward to Future Projections making public further details of its proposals, so that everyone interested in having the best possible cinema in Crystal Palace can come to an informed view.

We have asked Future Projections to meet with the Picture Palace Campaign committee to discuss its plans.

Why the campaign must go on

We shall continue to campaign for an inclusive leisure and entertainment use at 25 Church Road. We want this significant building to reflect the needs of local people and contribute to the regeneration of the Triangle and Church Road. The issues which 3,500 local residents and traders raised in our objections to Kingsway International Christian Centre’s (KICC) application for change of use to a church are still very relevant.

Despite the ongoing efforts of the PPC, 18 months after buying 25 Church Road, KICC, which was denied change of use in December 2009, is still refusing to meet MPs and locals to explain its intentions for the former cinema and bingo hall, which remains empty and unused.

In the coming months, as we see how alternative cinema proposals play out and what KICC plans for Church Road, we shall be asking you how you want the campaign to go forward.

If you wish to discuss any of these points further, or have other comments, please contact us at admin@picture-palace.org or take part in the discussion on the Virtual Norwood forum.

How you can help the campaign

• Sign up for the monthly newsletter
• Join the facebook page Picture Palace Campaign (return a cinema to Crystal Palace)
• If you tweet, follow us @picturepalace
• Forward this update to friends asking them to join our mailing list, facebook page and Twitter

Happy New Year Everyone! Here’s an update on the latest developments from the Picture Palace campaign.

Proposed cinema at the Grape & Grain:
Since our last update in December’s Transmitter magazine, Future Projections’ application for a two-screen, 254-seat, cinema at the Grape & Grain and the former car showroom used by the Bigger Picture Gallery (2 and 2a Anerley Hill) has been recommended for conditional approval by Bromley planning officers.

Bromley’s planning committee will determine the application on Thursday 13 January and the officer’s report can be found HERE.

So what will happen if the application at the Grape & Grain is approved and what does this mean for 25 Church Road and the Picture Palace campaign?

Support for the campaign has three elements:

•a desire to restore a cinema to its original building, the best use, size and location for the sustainability and regeneration of the district centre and Church Road;
•a desire to retain an inclusive D2 leisure use at 25 Church Road for cinema, arts or leisure, meeting the needs of the Crystal Palace community;
•a desire to see a good local cinema anywhere in Crystal Palace.

We have always been clear that the campaign is about bringing a cinema to Crystal Palace, recognising that 25 Church Road as a purpose built cinema is the best location. As such, we look forward to Future Projections making public further details of their proposals, so that everyone interested in having a cinema in Crystal Palace can come to an informed view.

What about 25 Church Road?
Following the cinema proposals for both the Grape & Grain and Victory Place, the Picture Palace Campaign wrote to Bromley council in November asking them to liaise with Croydon and Lambeth councils to consider how the potential options for a cinema in Crystal Palace might contribute to the development and regeneration of the district centre.

We also asked the council to consider the possibility of a Compulsory Purchase Order on 25 Church Road.

However, following subsequent helpful and informal discussions, it has become clear that the councils do not have the planning powers to influence the location of a cinema.

A cinema at the top of Anerley Hill would inevitably diminish the prospects for a cinema at 25 Church Road, but until we know more about the viability of Future Projections’ scheme and what it has to offer, our focus will remain on returning this building to its proper use as a cinema.

In a nutshell…
Eighteen months after buying the former Rialto cinema building on Church Road, Kingsway International Christian Centre (KICC) is still refusing to divulge its plans for how it proposes to exercise its D2 leisure use. We know that KICC has no intention of selling the building and that it is refurbishing the building.
KICC has been unofficially quoted as getting the building “fit for purpose”. Fit for what purpose? This is the question we would like to see answered. Will the use of the building benefit the local community at all? KICC says it wants to serve the local community but we have yet to see any evidence of that. Indeed, given its stance to date, it appears that KICC isn’t considering local needs at all. Our fear is that once 25 Church Road is put into active use by KICC, it will be lost forever.
The campaign is currently seeking legal advice on planning and licensing issues so that we can respond to any plans which KICC puts forward for the building. We are also following up with our local MPs about the deferred meeting with KICC. Let’s hope KICC is not too busy to meet in February.

Why the campaign must go on
Regardless of whether a cinema arrives elsewhere, we shall continue to campaign for an inclusive leisure and entertainment use at 25 Church Road. We want a building use which reflects the needs of local people and contributes to the regeneration of the Triangle. The issues which 3,500 of you (as local residents and traders) raised in your objections to KICC’s application for change of use to a church are still very relevant.

In the coming months, as we see how alternative cinema proposals play out, we shall be asking you how you want the campaign to go forward. In the meantime, we’ll update you with all the latest news as it happens.

If you wish to discuss any of these points further, or have other comments, please contact us at admin@picture-palace.org or take part in the discussion on Virtual Norwood

Grape and Grain/Bigger Picture Gallery proposal

Future Projections, suppliers, project managers and installers of cinema equipment, have applied for planning permission to Bromley Council to turn the Grape and Grain public house and the Bigger Picture Gallery in a two screen cinema. The main screen located in SG Smith/Bigger Picture Gallery would seat 203 people. The smaller cinema within the Grape and Grain would have 51 seats. Details of the application (2 Anerley Hill) can be found on Bromley’s planning website here:

http://planning.bromley.gov.uk/online-applications/“>http://planning.bromley.gov.uk/online-applications/

Victory Place/Carberry Road proposal

St Aiden’s Group have put forward a proposal for a mixed use development with a 4 screen cinema at the Victory Place/Carberry Road site.  Planning permission has not been applied for just yet so this proposal is just on paper so far.  Further details can be seen in the latest edition of The Transmitter.