CHURCH PLANS FOR CINEMA BUILDING THROWN OUT – AGAIN
“If you put lipstick on a pig it’s still a pig” – councillor
EXCLUSIVE
KICC’s latest plans for the former Granada cinema building at 25 Church Road were thrown out by a Bromley council plans sub committee tonight (Thursday).
Councillors voted to refuse change of use to a church – this time with mixed community use – for the reasons recommended in an officers report. And this time there were NO votes in support of KICC’s application.
Crystal Palace ward Cllr Angela Wilkins told the meeting in the council chamber that KICC wanted to park in Crystal Palace park.
“They have not had the courtesy or concern to consult with the council” she said.
And she revealed the council were about to install height barriers in the park – which would prevent minibuses getting in.
“If this is approved there will be no use by the community, no benefit to business and the best building in the area will be operated for religious purposes.
“It’s not the community’s fault the church bought the building without getting the permission they need. “Our reasons for refusal are absolutely spot-on.”
Councillors also heard from Annabel Sidney of the Crystal Palace Triangle Planning Group, Crystal Palace ward Cllr Richard Williams and, on behalf of KICC, Alistair Thornton.
Sub-committee chairrman Cllr Richard Scoates, moving the motion to refuse, said he was drawn to the reasons why the previous application (to turn the building into a church) had been refused.
“When we get a similar application come up it’s important the reasons (for refusal) have been addressed. “The loss of community use hasn’t been overcome. “The parking survey…is not as accurate as has been made out.”
Seconding the motion to refuse Cllr Simon Fawthrop said he had been on the plans sub committee which had turned down the previous application in December 2009.
Thanking residents for their comments he said: “This is a similar application to the one before. “There’s a saying that if you put lipstick on a pig, it’s still a pig.
“I said on the original application it was a pig then. “I don’t think there’s anything more to be said.”
(There wasn’t. Fuller story tomorrow – Ed).
