Improvements to the design of the West Central cinema development building, better landscaping in the vicinity and financial contributions to both the Council’s costs & to securing improved bus passenger facilities in Gervis Place have all been negotiated by the Council with Legal & General (Leisure), who have recently funded the development with Licet Developments.
Consequently, next week, Cabinet is being asked to cease progress on both securing a Compulsory Purchase Order for the site and on work to develop proposals for a transport hub at Exeter Road, for the next year. This would give the developer sufficient time to achieve Planning consent for any changes to the building design, and make significant progress on site.
This agreement would also see the Council paid £200,000 for the part of Exeter Crescent that is adjacent to the West Central development site, £45,000 to improve bus passenger facilities in nearby Gervis Place and £55,000 (50%) towards the costs incurred so far by the Council in the CPO process. Furthermore, should the West Central development not make sufficient progress within a year, the Council would have first refusal on purchasing the site.
Councillor John Beesley, Leader of the Council, said, “We very much welcome the agreement to financially support the Council in improving passenger facilities in Gervis Place, which we know can be a difficult area for pedestrians. Reducing the impact of heavy congestion so close to Bournemouth’s wonderful listed Gardens remains a priority for the Council, and my hope is that the plans we can draw up and implement with this funding will go some way to tackling that.”
He continued, “Whilst we acknowledge that planning policy permits leisure development on the NCP site, the design in the February 2006 planning application for the West Central scheme is very much of that time. Although consent for a slightly modified scheme was granted in December 2012, the design was largely unaffected. We expressed our concerns about the negative impact that the building would have on the Lower Gardens, and are very pleased that we have achieved agreement to make modifications to the building design in order to mitigate the worst effects of the development on one of the town’s most prized assets.” Cllr Beesley added, “Furthermore, we welcome the offer to purchase and incorporate adjacent land into improved public realm around the site.”
Andrew Ferguson, of Legal and General added: “I am pleased that we have been able to agree a way forward for this cinema development, which we have agreed to fund. Legal and General see Bournemouth as a vibrant, thriving town and we want to be a part of its success for many years to come.”
