Plans for old cinema approved
BLOCKBUSTING plans to revamp a former cinema building have been passed by Wakefield Council planning chiefs, paving the way for a £13.5m development.
Developers Innovative Global Business Group (IGB) hope to begin work on regenerating the Kirkgate area in March with their new building, which will replace the disused ABC cinema.
For the following 18 months, the former picture house will then be levelled and replaced with a glass-fronted apartment block of 119 one, two and three-bedroom flats, complete with roof garden.
Eight big-name shops have been lined up for the mixed-use development and, now planning permission has been granted, they are likely to sign contracts by spring.
A covered walkway and underground car park for 50 vehicles also form part of the plans for the old cinema that has been redundant since 1996.
Tamraz Riaz, IGB director, said: “We purchased the land three years ago, which already had planning permission for 64 apartments, but we wanted to build on that and go for 119.
“We’ve got some big names lined up for the retail units waiting in the wings to come on board and bring a different angle to that part of Wakefield, which is currently a bit run down.
“Although our company is based around the world, we all come from Wakefield originally so we are coming home to help the city grow and put something back in.
“We want to get on site quickly and are looking at it taking 18 months to complete as there’s a lot of demolition work to be done.”
Wakefield Civic Society also lent its support to the project and no objections had been received against the plans before the planning meeting, which took place at County Hall yesterday.
The cinema was opened on December 9, 1935, as the Regal. It became the ABC in the 1960s and, in addition to showing blockbuster movies, also played host to productions by the West Riding Amateur Operatic Society.
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Friday 25 May 2012
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