Decision Day Approaches For New Chiswick Cinema

Application for Picturehouse to come before Hounslow Planning Committee

The new planning application to build a Picturehouse cinema in the centre of Chiswick will be discussed at the next meeting of Hounslow Council's Planning Committee on December 1st 2016.

Members of the public can attend the meeting in the Civic Centre, at 7.30pm and letters have been sent by Hounslow Council to those living in the streets likely to be affected. The meeting is open to the public, but speakers are only allowed to address the Committee in particular circumstances (see below for details) .

While local people in Chiswick are broadly supportive of a cinema, there have been concerns raised in the past two years about parking and the potential for noise from the bar closing hours. Picturehouse was originally granted permission in January 2014 and had hoped, after conversion of the former Ballet Rambert premises, that it would be open in early 2015.

However, the matter became delayed until agreement was finally reached with the freeholder of the adjacent property, and a revised planning application was submitted last summer which included provision for three flats "to make better use of the site".

If planning permission is granted, it is expected work would start quickly and there are hopes that films could start showing by Christmas 2017. You can look at details of the plans.

The cinema complex is to remain the same size as the original application with five screens, seating over 420 people, a bar/cafe, including a roof terrace, with the new addition of the flats.

Picturehouse is not the applicant on the planning application; it has been submitted by Lochstill Ltd who are the freeholder of part of the site. Kim Gottlieb of Lochstill said last August that this did not mean that Picturehouse were no longer involved in the project and that it remained the intention that they should operate the cinema. Picturehouse will be responsible for the construction of the facility.

He said then;"We are delighted with the support there has been for this proposal and we are hopeful that this will quickly translate into a planning permission."

The meeting is open to the public but local residents who wish to address the meeting must contact the Committee Administrator, Wendy Merry on 02085832061 or email: wendy.merry@hounslow.gov.uk

November 16, 2016