Bromley Council reject Crystal Palace cinema conversion plans
CONTROVERSIAL plans to turn a former cinema in Crystal Palace into a church have been rejected by a Bromley council planning committee – on the chairman’s casting vote.
Kingsway International Christian Centre had wanted to turn the former cinema and bingo hall in Church Road into a church after buying the building from Gala bingo hall. The move has sparked a massive groundswell of public opposition from residents and traders – the vast majority of whom want the building turned back into a cinema.
But the future of the building could now be uncertain after a letter from KICC’s agents for the application stated that if planning permission was not forthcoming the building would just be allowed to fall into disrepair.
At the council’s plans sub-committee meeting on Thursday December 17th Cllr Sarah Phillips (Con. Clock House), moving the motion for refusal, said keeping the building as D2 use was about how Crystal Palace would remain in the future. There was not a shortage of D1 uses – churches – in the area.
“Keeping D2 use will be good for business and cultural reasons and the viability of the future of Crystal Palace” she said.
Cllr John Getgood (Lab, Penge and Cator) said the Triangle area of Crystal Palace “was a special community all of its own with small artisan businesses developing very, very nicely – and that needs to be supported.
“There’s nothing wrong with having another church. The problem is this doesn’t come from that community. It’s being imposed on that community. If it was already in the area I could see a good reason for allowing it. This is a wandering tribe looking for a home.”
Cllr Getgood, who recalled that in the late 1950s he used to go to Saturday cinema in the same building, said parking caused by the arrival of the church would be intolerable for people living in the area.
Cllr Alexa Michael (Con Bromley Common and Keston) said she did not find the officers’ report to committee about the application particularly helpful. “A lot seems to mention things that aren’t planning grounds. There seems to be a great demand for leisure. Cinemas have to offer multiplexes if they are to survive economically.
“The chances are they would draw in people from outside the area. Any type of use will draw in fairly large numbers. I’m not convinced the reasons for refusal are strong.” She asked for a further report and to arrange for a members site visit.
Cllr Peter Dean (Con. Kelsey and Eden Park) said he had been about to make some of the points made by Cllr Michael. “It’s not a great report. We’re not looking at an application for a cinema.”
He said he could understand the concerns voiced by Crystal Palace Cllr Tom Papworth (Lib Dem) who gave a videoed address to the committee.
“But I have a concern that if this application is refused residents will end up with exactly what they don’t want. This could be won on appeal. The two main reasons for refusal are that a major entertainment facility is going to be lost. You’re replacing a bingo hall with a church – how contentious is that?
“They are going to operate a great number of community facilities. On the face of it that’s not such a bad idea if you don’t know the area.”
On traffic and parking he said that if there was one area in ‘our borough’ that was used to handling large numbers of parking it was the Crystal Palace area. The traffic report prepared by the applicant actually put the parking element in perspective, he said
“The grounds for refusal are dubious. I’d like more thought to go into this.” he added.
Cllr Getgood, responding, said: “The church community facilities do not come out of that community – they are being imposed on them. There are occasional large entertainments in Crystal Palace park but they are not twice a day on Sunday. This is a regular imposition on the people of the area and it’s not fair for them to put up with that.”
Councillors voted three – three with committee chairman Cllr Gordon Jenkins (Con. Bickley) voting for the application to be refused. Cllr Jenkins then used his casting vote, saying: “I’m not one of those who bends with the wind. The application is refused.” Cllr Dean asked for his vote against to be recorded.
I am appalled by KICCs cynical attitude to leave the cinema site empty. How dare they decide what the community wants without canvassing the community. Will KICC guarantee that they will run and welcome gay, bi-sexual and transgender groups, film clubs, yoga classes, tai-chi classes, or any other community needs which a mapping exercise might highlight. Of course a community would welcome a church that really answers the needs of a community. You only have to look at Parchmore Methodist Church in Thornton Heath to see how effectively this can be done and to see Christian teaching in practice. But sadly KICCs narrow and extreme attitudes are well documented. And this is clearly being demonstrated by their current threatening behaviour.
If the site has to remain empty then so be it. At least the community will not have to tolerate traffic jams and parking twice a day on Sunday!
Cllr Alexa Michael says that cinemas have to be multiplexes to survive these days. I disagree. They don’t HAVE to be. Lots of smaller cinemas do well. The Electric and the Gate in Notting Hill Gate, The Odeon in Beckenham, The Picture house in Greenwich, SCreen on Baker street, the screen on the hill in Belsize park, The Everyman etc.
They just have to be busy.
I also agree with the majority of the others who have posted here about the very unchristian threat (which is what it is): “if planning permission was not forthcoming the building would just be allowed to fall into disrepair.”
If that is their attitude, then we definitely don’t want them here because they obviously don’t care about the area or the building.
I agree with Jeremy it is not particularly generous to allow the building to degenerate. Quite malicious in fact. Having viewed the video of the interior one can see the potential of “…the power and the glory…” in a religious context if you will. A magnificent space; how wonderful it could be for a community that appears to be united in a wish for a boost for cultural and artisan businesses. Hopefully the Ritzy may have a second bite at the cherry ?!
I’d like to echo what Ray has said above about KICC’s agent suggesting that the owners would simply allow the building to fall into disrepair if planning permission is denied – it doesn’t strike me as being a particulalry Christian attitude and really gives the lie to their stated desire to support and enhance the Crystal Palace triangle. Ray is right in his assertions and I for one think that KICC would have done very little to enhance our already vibrant and varied community – let’s hear it for all the fantastic folk in Crystal Palace who’ve demonstrated so well what community and democracy is all about!
I am shocked that KICC’s agent is reported to have said that “… if planning permission was not forthcoming the building would just be allowed to fall into disrepair.” Although not a great prospect, it is still better than allowing the planning application for a change of use to succeed. Further it seems to be a cynical way of trying to blackmail the local community. It is time for an application to get the building listed so that would not be allowed to happen.
The applicants claimed that the proposed centre would help to meet the “health, educational, faith, social services and other essential needs of the community” I regard this as a disingenuous and possibly duplicitous claim based on no evidence whatsoever. Crystal Palace is a vibrant, mixed community whose needs as specified by the applicants are well served by local authority and existing voluntary sector services. The fact that the applicants have – on their own admission in their application form – made no attempt whatsoever to consult the local community before submitting this application speaks for itself.
Well Done everyone involved. As many have commented, it is just the first victory and the comments of Bromley councillors make me think that the appeal will be harder to win. We will continue to support the initiative of brave neighbours and friends in this campaign. If there is anything alse crystal palce residents can do then it should be done. Has there been any news from that cinema operator (cant remember the name) which had put an offer for the site and lost to the KICC?