Student flats, gym and shop at old cinema approved
PLANS to convert an historic cinema building into shops, a gym and 62 student flats have been approved.
Councillors granted permission to a scheme which will see the former Regal Cinema in Ormskirk town centre brought back to use for the first time since 2019.
The Church Street building first opened in 1936, before changing use to a bingo hall in the 1960s and then becoming home to a Tesco Metro store and latterly Poundstretcher.
Its new use will see the ground floor occupied by a shop and cafe or restaurant. New floor levels will be inserted within the building to allow for the building of the students flats.
A private gym will also be installed within the building for those students living on-site.
The application went before West Lancashire Borough Council’s planning committee on Thursday evening and was approved unanimously.
Introducing the application, Jill Thomas explained that a similar application last year on site proposed to demolish the entire and put up a new build scheme with retail use at the front and 91 student accommodation above.
However, owner Luis Stockton has since decided it’s more viable to retain the shell of the cinema building and convert and extend it.
Offering his support, Cllr David O’Toole said: “I’m not bothered about the applicant to be perfectly
frank, what I’m bothered about is Ormskirk and the town centre.
“Here we have another semiderelict, empty building which does nothing to enhance the town in any way whatsoever.
“Unlike some other towns, the shopping area of Ormskirk is basically four main streets. “We’ve got a number of empty buildings and the sooner these buildings are taken, occupied, and transformed into what is a suitable application for the town centre, the better.”