The Odeon Cinema Site, Tunbridge Wells

In 2000 I retired as a Tunbridge Wells councillor and in the same year the Odeon cinema closed its doors. The shops on two sides of the cinema closed later and the whole site became derelict.  It is derelict to this day.

It is a prime site in Royal Tunbridge Wells, opposite the Town Hall and at the crossroads of main thoroughfares.

Since 2000 the site has been sold three times.  The latest purchaser states that it is intended to develop the site broadly in accordance with the current planning consent, namely an hotel, shops and a car park.  Interesting word 'broadly'. Cards are being clasped close to the chest. 

This latest turn in the Odeon saga has been greeted with tired resignation, after all, we have been furnished with grand plans before.

The Borough Council has indicated it intends to secure a Compulsory Purchase Order on the site.  Good piece of municipalisation by a Conservative controlled council. Quite what the Council would do with the site is not clear, although the Deputy-Leader has indicated his desire to see a 1,200 seat theatre, an art gallery and civic offices arise from the dereliction. 

A local newspaper has published the following article (see link):

http://www.kentnews.co.uk/news/premier_inn_in_talks_for_tunbridge_wells_cinema_site_1_1004367


All this has to be considered in the context of the furore manufactured by the Aspic Brigade in Tunbridge Wells  against the idea of demolishing the civic complex.  The Deputy-Leader's proposal has the advantage of taking the heat out of the debate about the future of the complex.  However, if the new purchaser of the Odeon site does deliver, then attention will focus again on the civic complex.

A planning application by the purchaser of the Odeon site will be made within four months according to a press report. This will put it well outside the timescale for the proposed town centre master plan and before the Deputy-Leader has resolved the traffic problems of the town. Resolution of the latter we have been informed by the Council must precede any redevelopment of the civic centre  and one assumes the Odeon site should the CPO go through.

See also:

http://kentcommunityactivist.blogspot.com/2011/08/depressing-newsor-is-it.html