NEW plans to redevelop the site of an iconic cinema that was destroyed by fire have been submitted.
An earlier application, submitted a year ago, was withdrawn from the planning register in March this year.
The previous proposals for the Regent had attracted opposition from a number of organisations, including the town council, but also drew letters of support from many who said it was about time a new use was found for the site, badly damaged by a 2016 fire.
The proposals are for a mixture of housing, parking spaces and two commercial units at the front of the building, one of which is already in use by Black Cow Vodka.
A statement with the new plans say that in view of concerns raised by the previous application there will be “a deliberate leaning to reflect a more evident art deco language on the southern elevation to more closely reflect the original (cinema) design.”
Other changes include a reduction to the floor area for the third floor home which will help reduce the bulk of the building… bringing the south elevation to three stories in height.. “it also reduced the profile of the building when seen from the east and west to very much less than the previous auditorium.” The document claims that at first floor level the changes amount to a 29% reduction.
Timber cladding to the south elevation is replaced with white painted render which ‘will be more characteristic of the surrounding townscape and matches the Art Deco styling of the listed building.”
Also includes is a revised access route and bin storage area from the forecourt on Broad Street with two trees to be added each side of the new access route to eight undercroft parking spaces, a reduction of one.
A series of internal changes, include alterations to walls, are also proposed, with some aiming to protect some of the original features of the building.
The art-deco cinema on Broad Street first opened its doors on October, 1937 and is a listed building.
A similar application for a retail and housing development on the site was withdrawn earlier this year.London planning agent Mackenzie Wheeler submitted proposals for a retail and housing development in January but Dorset Council has confirmed the plans have been withdrawn.
The town council had said the plans should be "more sympathetic to the surrounding conservation area".
Dorset Council confirmed the proposals had been scrapped although in line with its policy, did not say why.
Former owners Scott's Cinemas has said it sold the site to "a local owner" with initial plans to convert it to a hotel being dropped after deciding the site would be unviable.
The alternative scheme was for two four or five-bedroom homes and a three-bedroom maisonette, plus associated parking. It also sought to create two retail units on the ground floor.
The proposals allowed for the original side walls, along with the existing staircase and staircase window, to be retained.
Dorset Council's conservation officer had said the plans were "harmful to the historic character of Lyme Regis Conservation Area".
The officer noted the auditorium remained "a roofless ruin" but the building was an "attractive example of the public face of a small town cinema of its period".
Among the public comments in support of redevelopment, an Axminster resident wrote: "It's time to tidy up Lyme Regis so fully support this application, many buildings in Lyme have become empty and tired/left in an occupied state which does not benefit anyone."
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