Phew!
You can view the planning application papers here for Weds 06 November 2024
Here’s me protesting outside one of the planning consultation events back in April 2023
Above – one-bloke-protest by crazed local historian who behaves like he owns the place
(The chap featured in the Waterford Whispers video is my hero!)
The fate of the Hobson Street Cinema is something I’ve covered and followed for nearly a decade (See previous blogposts and video links here).
Grounds for refusal
The Officer’s Report says the proposals in the application would:
- lead to the total loss of a designated Building of Local Interest, which significantly contributes to the character of the Conservation Area
- would comprise a scale and design which is out of keeping with the character and appearance of the Conservation Area and result in the loss of the finer urban grain of development which contributes to the character and appearance of the Conservation Area.
You can read more about the Hobson Street Cinema here
Above – from Cambridgeshire Archives FB page – the cinema had a capacity of over 1,000
Assuming the councillors on the planning committee refuse the application, what then?
The instructions from the building owner to the consultants – including Donald Insall Associates (The architectural firm) concerned was ‘to maximise the financial value of the site’ – hence the comprehensive redevelopment proposal. Assuming this scheme is refused, the owner/developer would have to come back with an alternative scheme that at least preserves the front of the building.
“Might the developer appeal to a Planning Inspector?”
It’s almost inevitable that they will – in which case the Minister for Housing and Planning Matthew Pennycook has got a tricky decision to make because of the close attention he is paying to Cambridge at the moment, and because Cambridge City Council is a Labour-led council. Note however for planning applications the Planning Committee *must* act in a quasi-judicial capacity, not a party-political capacity. They have to judge each case against the very complicated planning systems rules, regulations, and requirements. What a Planning Inspector may decide is a different matter, but there are many cases where ministers have overruled planning inspectors (and have sound reasons to do so). My hope is that a Planning Inspector would dismiss any appeal by the developer, and if not, the Minister would go against the Inspector’s recommendation.
“If the Planning Inspector or Minister blocks any appeal, then what?“
Then the developer might revert to Option 3 of the original proposals
Above – from the Wayback Machine of the now defunct consultation website as of 28 May 2022
The option that many community groups would like to see is the retention of the old cinema space as per Option 2.
Above – from the Wayback Machine of the now defunct consultation website as of 28 May 2022
There are other proposals – See Johnathan Gimblett here
Whether that will happen remains to be seen. Not if local government austerity continues – but then we’ll get some idea of what will happen on Wednesday.
Food for thought?
If you are interested in the longer term future of Cambridge, and on what happens at the local democracy meetings where decisions are made, feel free to:
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In the meantime, sign up to The Cambridge Room which opens next month – where we can start talking more meaningfully about reuse of older buildings. (Which reminds me – the old Cambridge Assessment Building that I think would make a great site for a concert hall, can that be turned into a community ‘meanwhile’ use building?)
The Cambridge Town Owl 