“OVERWHELMING DEMAND FOR CINEMA”
There is an “overwhelming demand” for a cinema in Crystal Palace, say the Crystal Palace Triangle Planning Group in its objections to KICC’s plans.
“Planning policy clearly indicates that the loss of community facilities will not be allowed unless it can be demonstrated there is no longer a need for them.
“The applicant has not provided any evidence whatsoever to demonstrate that there is no longer a need for the existing Class D2 facility at Church Road.
“And there is no evidence whatsoever that this will ‘ensure’ any significant retained element of D2 use
“If planning permission was to be granted it is impossible to see what Bromley council could do to enforce the mix of uses.
“A place of worship is not a town centre use. “The council should be actively encouraging and planning for the provision of a cinema in the town centre.
“The best hope for 25 Church Road to be regularly used for entertainment is to retain the dedicated D2 Assembly and leisure use – there are no other D2 entertainment operators in Crystal Palace
“If the applicant’s desire was to allow for continued leisure and assembly use of the building when not in use as a place of worship, they would have proposed this as part of their original planning application in 2009
“KICC are a religious charity whose primary aim is to evangelise and advance the Christian religion.
“It is their stated aim to increase their membership and to grow. “It is their charitable duty to do so and the activities which they undertake to deliver their charitable object all fall within Class D1 use
“KICC has, first and foremost, refurbished the premises for their D1 needs not with D2 in mind
“It is our view that several of the potential uses to which the applicant’s statement refers fall within Class D1 e.g. conferences, musical conferences,graduation ceremonies, presentation evenings, business seminars, political conventions and christenings
“Class D1 conferences and business seminars are central to those activities as noted on KICC’s UK website
“KICC does not have a local congregation and there is no local need for another church
“A large proportion of attendees will be travelling significant distances and from outside of Crystal Palace’s immediate catchment
“Crystal Palace has a very diverse community which is already very well catered for through existing churches and community centres
“No explanation is given to explain why the demand for KICC in South London, Kent and Surrey and Essex cannot be met from the applicant’s churches in Hoe Street in Walthamstow and Prayer City in Chatham, Kent
“KICC are not a group set up with the aim of representing the interests of the BME (black and minority ethnic) community in general; they are dedicated to furthering and sharing their religious beliefs which are not directly related to ethnicity
“All KICC’s events are aimed at keeping the congregation in the building where free food is provided
“Members that arrive by mini-bus, will leave by mini-bus
“When members travel long distances by car, they are most likely to want to go straight home after an event.”
In their letter of objection the CPTPG also say that KICC have:
- given a “gross underestimate” of the likely frequency of large D1 events
- not given the true extent of the 25 Church Road’s catchment area for KICC’s congregants – and the consequential likelihood that attendance on a Sunday will exceed the estimated figures of 400-600 and involve much greater trip attraction by car
- failed to apply or disclose known modal split data from KICC’s operations elsewhere – but used inappropriate or inapplicable comparative data from venues operated by other churches to estimate modal split (the percentage of travellers using a particular type of transportation or number of trips using said type).
CPTPG add that outside of core church hours, 25 Church Road would largely be empty or underused.
P.S: … ORPINGTON’S GETTING A CINEMA AGAIN
News item: Work begins on Orpington’s new cinema and leisure complex by Joshua Barrie, reporter (Bromley News Shopper Wednesday 2 July 2014)
The Commodore cinema opened in 1933 and closed in 1982. Further reading:
http://www.ideal-homes.org.uk/bromley/assets/galleries/orpington/commodore-cinema
