THE curtian could go up on a new cinema after council bosses were asked to give the plans the go-ahead.
Kate and Ian Silverwood have resubmitted an application to build a two-screen cinema and pizzeria at Barton Marina, which is now on course to be given the nod by councillors at planning committee on August 22.
Barton Parish Council and Julia Jessel, who represents the village on East Staffordshire Borough Council, have objected to the application, citing the lack of parking and the development being unsuitable in a rural area.
The couple withdrew their original application after it was recommended for refusal on the back of the council’s Planning Policy Statement 4, which stated‘entertainment facilities should be located within existing town centres to ensure a safe environment’.
However, Mrs Silverwood said: “We have done a lot more work since then.
“We have looked at all the empty Burton town centre venues and we have submitted all our information to the planners on why we think they are not suitable. We also did further public consultation — we have now consulted about 1,000 people.” The cinema would seat 212 patrons with a 160-seat pizzeria.
In its objection, Barton Parish Council said the applicants’ transport consultants based findings on a survey taken in 2009 which estimated there were between 80 and 100 car parking spaces.
The council believes this to be much greater, saying: “Taking one count on one evening two years ago is not robust evidence in the parish council’s view, and the applicant has not sought to update these figures for the current application.”
It also added that additional evidence stating there were no town centre sites in Burton or Lichfield suitable for the proposal ‘was not particularly compelling’.
Councillor Jessel said cinemas were only considered to be suitable for town locations and not rural areas, and suggested that a proposed 80-bed hotel on the site would result in ‘an undesirable overdevelopment of the whole site and will lose its rural aspect.’
However, the application received 45 letters of support from nearby residents saying itwould be an asset to the area, create employment and complement existing facilities.
In a report to councillors, planners at the borough council said the site hadexisting parking for 250 vehicles, and should the hotel be built, it had permission for an additional parking area and therefore should not have any substantial impact on the capacity of the existing car park.
