Fareham councillors plan to object to proposals for a nine-screen cinema in Whiteley believing it is “out of scale” with the £64m shopping centre redevelopment and could threaten trade in Locks Heath and Fareham.
A report by Fareham Borough Council’s planning officers has recommended to make an objection to the multiplex cinema stating it is “likely to have a serious detrimental impact” on Fareham’s five-screen cinema, the town centre’s evening trade, as well as that at the Locks Heath District Centre.
An artist impression of the Cineworld cinema at Whiteley
Plans for the almost 30,000 sq ft multiplex with 1,416 seats have been submitted to Winchester City Council.
But Fareham council has concerns that the complex, which is planned to be operated by Cineworld, could entice visitors from the whole borough, as well as Southampton and Portsmouth, posing a danger to trade in Fareham and the Western Wards.
The report states: “Overall, this proposal significantly changes the offer of Whiteley, changing it from purely a shopping venue, to an “all-day” attraction. This poses a very real threat to the vitality and viability of the leisure offer and evening economy in Fareham Town Centre, but also any future plans to provide such uses in both Locks Heath and the new community north of Fareham.”
There will be 80 per cent overlap with the catchment area of the cinema in Fareham Town Centre.
Council planning officers said in the report that the 29,000 sq m of commercial floor space planned to be occupied at Whiteley does not merit the need for a nine-screen cinema, while Fareham has a five-screen for 90,000 sq m of commercial floor space in its boundary.
The report adds: “In essence this proposal is of a “city-scale” and will inevitably draw cinema goers from everywhere between Portsmouth and Southampton due to the variety of films it can show at one time, coupled with the attraction of free parking and adjacent restaurant facilities. This new proposal will make Whiteley even more of a draw to people, and will extend its ‘core’ business hours into the evenings with people coming (or staying) to eat or watch a film.
“In conclusion this proposal is considered to be out of scale with a settlement and centre of the size of Whiteley and is based on incomplete evidence.”
Plans for facilities on the ground floor of the cinema complex have not yet been confirmed, but could include further restaurants, bars and leisure and community uses, such as a crèche, health club, bowling or a children’s indoor play facility.
The Whiteley Co-Ownership Trust, which is behind the shopping centre redevelopment, suggested a number of changes to the plans following a public consultation exercise last year. These changes have been adopted into the plans and have included reducing the height of the building and adding more trees and an acoustic fence to screen it from nearby houses to reduce noise pollution.
If approved, the cinema would be open until 12.30am from Monday to Thursday and until 2am on Fridays, Saturdays and those Sundays before a Bank Holiday Monday. Then building work could begin in February 2014 and be in operation in May 2015.
Fareham Borough Council’s planning committee will discuss the proposals at a meeting on Wednesday (February 27).