The development of a new cinema in Lichfield could move a step closer next week.
Lichfield District Council’s planning committee will decide on whether to approve a planning application for the scheme.
The works would see a change of use of the former Debenhams building to create a four-screen boutique cinema and commercial units, as well as the demolition of neighbouring shops at 36 to 44 Bakers Lane.
A report has recommended that the project be given the green light.
“The site proposal seeks the partial change of use of an existing building to create a four-screen cinema and commercial units and the associated redevelopment of the surrounding environs to create a new piazza and public realm improvements to include new landscape and pedestrian and visual links to the wider city.
“In order to achieve the wider public realm benefits the scheme involves the demolition of existing retail units in order to create a new pedestrian piazza and pedestrian link with landscaped areas.
“The resulting scheme will bring an existing vacant unit back into active use to complement the existing city centre offerings with complementary facilities which help ensure the vitality and viability of the city centre.”
Planning report
The demolition of the retail units will form part of wider development plans for the city centre which will see the neighbouring multi-storey car park knocked down to create a link through to the Birmingham Road site, which is also earmarked for redevelopment.
Lichfield City Council said it had no objection to the overall scheme, provided the demolition of the existing shops only took place when a date for the wider city centre redevelopment was confirmed.
The planning officer’s report said:
“The development proposal will enhance and diversify the leisure and cultural offer in the city centre and will bring back into use a long term vacant commercial unit to provide a cinema and deliver a net increase of two commercial units to the city centre.
“Additionally, the enhancements to the public realm and delivery of a pedestrian link to the Birmingham Road redevelopment site are supported within the Local Plan strategy, Local Plan allocations, and Lichfield City Neighbourhood Plan. Furthermore, it is acknowledged that the pedestrian link is critical to facilitating the council’s ambition to regenerate the Birmingham Road site.
“These positive aspects to outweigh the loss of the four units along Bakers Lane and change of use of the Debenhams unit to a non-retail use.”
Planning report
The planning committee will decide on the development plans at a meeting on 24th January.
The story of cinema in Lichfield
While the new development may have put the idea of a city cinema back in focus, the history of cinema in Lichfield is nothing new.
Click below to see how the story of Lichfield’s latest big screen plans has evolved from the early days of movies in the city.
