7:30am Monday 12th October 2009
By Jo Winrow
Bradford’s 90 councillors could finally get to have their say on the fate of the former Odeon cinema.
But any vote at tomorrow’s full Council meeting will not overturn the decision to demolish the 1930s building made by the regulatory and appeals committee last month.
Councillor David Ward, the Liberal Democrat deputy group leader, is putting a motion to the Council which calls for members to reject the decision made by five members of the committee to knock down the unlisted Odeon building.
The motion also condemns Yorkshire Forward, as the owner of the building, for going against the Council’s replacement Unitary Development Plan, which supports the retention of the Odeon. It also claims doubts remain over the true state of the building and the cost of its retention because the regional development agency did not allow an independent survey to be carried out.
Coun Ward said: “Too many councillors have ducked down behind the parapet and failed to engage in the debate about the future of the Odeon.
“There is clearly huge public support for the Odeon but what actually do the majority of councillors feel about it?
“If the majority of councillors support demolition the public has a right to know.
“If a majority do not support demolition then why have Bradford Centre Regeneration and Yorkshire Forward, both unelected bodies, been allowed to determine the future of such an important building on such an important site in the city centre?”
The decision to demolish the Odeon and allow a £40m replacement to be constructed on the site was made after a lengthy meeting of the committee.
The vote for Langtree Artisan’s New Victoria Place designs was four in favour to three against. The Council made it clear the developer would have to sign up to a legal agreement which would prevent the Odeon being knocked down before the money and tenants are in place to ensure its replacement will be built.
Langtree Artisan still has another couple of days to wait before the final confirmation from the Government and the planning permission is official.
A spokesperson for Bradford Council said: “The constitution delegates decisions on planning applications to the regulatory and appeals committee, not the full Council.
“The committee’s decision has now been referred to the Secretary of State who has at least 21 days to decide whether the decision can be rubber stamped subject to the stringent conditions laid down by the committee.”
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