Plans for conversion of Odeon cinema delayed over road safety concerns

A decision over the potential conversion of Preston’s ODEON cinema into a storage facility has been delayed by road safety concerns.

The nationwide chain says it has no plans to vacate its venue in the city – off Port Way, near the docks – but a planning application for the switch was submitted by the owner of the site earlier this year.

Aylward Town Planning Ltd. said it was seeking permission for the change “in the event that the existing tenant was unable to continue trading as a cinema”.

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The theoretical redevelopment was due to be discussed at a meeting of Preston City Council’s planning committee last week – where the authority’s planning officers were initially set to recommend it was approved by councillors.

However, the debate was deferred after highways chiefs at Lancashire County Council warned that access to the site for larger vehicles – which could be more regular visitors under the proposed new guise for the premises – was unsuitable.

The matter will now be brought back to the committee at a later date after the city authority has liaised with both with the applicant and County Hall in an attempt to address the road-related issues raised.

The county council said that large vehicles entering the plot from the south would have to cross the centre line of the carriageway – and also stray into “the lane of opposing traffic” within the site itself – in order to make the turning into the northernmost access from Port Way. That scenario was described as “not acceptable”.

The authority also concluded that it was “not viable” for such vehicles to enter and exit the site at the same time from the existing southern access point off Navigation Way.

However, the city council noted that the proposed storage use for the building would generate “significantly fewer vehicle trips” overall than a cinema – reducing traffic on the surrounding highway network. Town hall planners also found that there were no other reasons to refuse the proposal.

When the plans were first lodged in March, a spokesperson for ODEON Cinemas said “We are aware of a planning application submitted by the landlord in relation to our ODEON Preston cinema. It does not affect our operating position in any way.

“ODEON Preston remains open and our focus continues to be on delivering a great cinema experience for our guests.”

The 1890-seat venue originally opened under the UCI brand in 1990 before taking on the ODEON name in 2004 after the two companies merged.