Alternative cinema plans unveiled

11:05am Thursday 1st February 2007

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ALTERNATIVE plans for the development of the contested Bricket Road cinema site were revealed last night (Wednesday, January 31) by St Albans Civic Society.

A packed public meeting at Dagnall Street Baptist Church, St Albans, was told that the current plans were "monstrous", threatening to damage irreparably the rich cultural heritage of the city by setting a benchmark of shoddy architecture.

Speakers, including a number of respected architects and engineers, warned that the proposals - complete with more than 170 flats - would dominate the skyline for miles around and even threaten St Albans Abbey as a focal point.

The society had intended to showcase plans by award-winning Italian architect Cesary Bednarski but a representative was unable to attend for family reasons.

The packed meeting was told, however, by stand- in Alan McCartney that the proposals included a two screen (not seven) cinema with limited residential accommodation to be built on top of the existing council car park.

The proposals, it was claimed, would be cheaper, better, and more in keeping with their surroundings than those currently on the table.

Council claims that the existing structure could not support such a development were later dismissed by Mr McCartney, an experienced structural engineer.

Civic society chairman Eric Roberts welcomed the alternative proposals but stressed the need to defeat the current proposals before an expected decision at a council planning meeting on Wednesday, March 14.

Speaking of what was at stake, he concluded:"The existing city skyline looks stunning and I can't understand why some of our councillors seem set on ruining that for ever. It really hurts me."