Long awaited plans for Bishop Auckland cinema finally revealed (From The Northern Echo)
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Long awaited plans for Bishop Auckland cinema finally revealed
8:00am Monday 3rd December 2012 in News By Duncan Leatherdale
CINEMA HOPES: Councillor Rob Yorke on the proposed site
A NORTH-EAST town's long wait for a cinema may soon be about to end as £40m plans for a leisure development are set to be unveiled to the public.
A two-day public consultation will be held at Bishop Auckland Football Club’s Heritage Park this week to showcase plans for a multi-screen cinema, shops and restaurants at St Helen Auckland.
The development is being planned for 24 acres of wasteland next to the West Auckland bypass and behind the Tindale Crossing Pub.
Land Planning Partnership, the company behind the plans, will be seeking the views of the public at the club on Wednesday and Thursday, December 5 and 6.
County councillor for West Auckland Rob Yorke said he has full confidence these plans are genuine and that, subject to planning permission, they will go ahead.
He said the scheme will create several hundred jobs, adding: “This is the best Christmas present we could hope for.”
Terry Jackson, chairman of Bishop Auckland Football Club welcomed the news.
A multi-screen cinema had originally been planned as part of the development which saw the creation of the Sainsbury’s supermarket and new football stadium.
While the shop, stadium and two restaurants opened in 2010 and 2011, the cinema plans were shelved due to a downturn in the economy.
Mr Jackson, who grew up in St Helen Auckland, said he was disappointed when the cinema part of the scheme failed to materialise but is confident these new plans will progress.
He said: “I still pinch myself when I see how this area has regenerated over the past few years but what we all really want is a cinema.”
There are also several shops, a food court, and bowling alley planned as part of the cinema development.
West Auckland county councillor Andy Turner said: “People ask me every day what is happening with the cinema, this is the best thing that could happen here.”
The consultation will be open from 10am to 8pm with the public’s opinions going towards a planning application to be submitted to Durham County Council in the near future.
The site, which used to be a brick works and builder’s yard, has been derelict for decades.
Comments(12)
Voice-of-reality
says...
10:24am Mon 3 Dec 12
regardless of such self-interest, we can but hope that this development goes ahead to once again retain and increase footfall into the Greater Bishop area.
Jolly Roger
says...
10:44am Mon 3 Dec 12
But I hope that the Bishop Auckland people realise that in reality they is real no land left in the centre of Bishop for buildings like this.
So face the facts and support this development or lose out big time.
A
holmesc1
says...
1:27pm Mon 3 Dec 12
foss
says...
7:20pm Mon 3 Dec 12
holmesc1 wrote:If we can sustain two supermarkets and two coffee shops within spitting distance of each other surely we can sustain a cinema.
has bishop got catchment area for multiplex cinema? especially with one planned for darlington too
bishop1
says...
8:57pm Mon 3 Dec 12
really hope this gets the go ahead
Axziz68
says...
10:20pm Mon 3 Dec 12
freelance
says...
2:09pm Tue 4 Dec 12
bishop/
says...
5:58pm Tue 4 Dec 12
bishop/
says...
5:58pm Tue 4 Dec 12
bishop1
says...
7:51am Wed 5 Dec 12
freelance wrote:tindale crescent is still in bishop auckland , rather have the development here than in another town , not like there is much room in the town itself for a development such as this anyway .
WELCOME TO TINDALE CRESCENT.......the true location of this proposed development.
maw.si
says...
9:06am Wed 5 Dec 12
JayCol says...
8:50am Mon 3 Dec 12