Plans to demolish former art deco cinema refused

Central Cinema was described by council planners as having a "unique architectural design"

Plans to demolish an art deco cinema in a city's conservation area have been refused.

Central Cinema in Hobson Street, Cambridge, opened in 1921 and later became a bingo hall, but closed in 2009.

Proposals to demolish the building to make way for shops, offices and a community space were refused by councillors on Wednesday.

Cambridge City Council planning officers had already described the building as "iconic and rare" and said the plan could cause "heritage harm" if it went ahead.

Central Cinema first opened in 1921 in the building of a former car showroom

The boarded-up former cinema is not listed but is a designated building of local interest.

An application to demolish it alongside other buildings in Sidney Street, while preserving their facades, was put forward in April.

The building has a 1930s Egyptian art deco style with a bright white facade.

Mark Richer, who has owned the former cinema since 2011, said his project would have improved Hobsons Passage which runs adjacent.

Iconic frontage

Mr Richer told the council's planning committee: "The new building being proposed is amazing."

He said it would have solar panels, would reuse rainwater, bring £43m annually to the city's economy and provide rent-free community space.

"And a massive clean-up of Hobsons Passage which is currently Cambridge's largest open-air toilet and litter bin."

In their report, council officers said the building had "iconic and rare architectural features" and that losing it would be "unacceptable".

They also criticised the planned roof extension as "bulky and inappropriate".

But they praised Mr Richer's attempts to provide community space.

Councillors had mixed views about the proposals at the meeting

Katie Porrer, the Liberal Democrat spokesperson for planning at the city council, said: "I personally do not object to this being redeveloped [but] the problems with this outweigh the benefits at the moment."

She added: "That frontage is iconic. "