Jersey developers say 90% want Odeon site demolished

The ODEON building in Bath Street could be demolished

The owners of a listed building in Bath Street say about 90% of islanders want it removed from the list of protected buildings.

Developers, Le Masurier, plan to knock the Odeon cinema on Bath Street down so that they can build offices, houses and a car park.

Christopher Scholefield from Save Jersey's Heritage said the findings were based on unreliable research.

He said they had not done enough to show alternatives.

Mr Scholefield said: "They are unreliable because we don't really know what question people were responding to, we don't know if this was independently moderated.

"We know people have not been given a complete range of options to consider.

'Only plan'

"Certainly Le Masurier's have not troubled to illustrate various options for the future of the building because they just want rid of it.

"That is the only plan they have brought into the public domain."

Brian Macarthur from Le Masurier said they had taken advice from experts.

"We've taken technical advice from UK heritage experts and they have provided a substantial report which we presented to the planning minister on Monday.

"That report sets out in some detail the lack of architectural, historical and cultural merits to the Odeon building.

"In addition to that we have also submitted the public response evaluation setting out in detail all the responses we've had since launching our proposal in June."

The Odeon closed as a cinema on 7 October 2004 when a new Cineworld multiplex opened on the St Helier waterfront.

The building was taken over by Kevin Lewis in March 2005 and run as the Forum Cinema until it closed in December 2008.