Empire Cinema car park development – ‘is there any intention of reopening it?’ readers react to plan – Birmingham Live

Fears have been raised for the future of a Birmingham cinema after plans were unveiled for a new retirement complex on its car park.

Doubts have been placed on the viability of the Empire Cinema at Maney Corner in Sutton Coldfield, after McCarthy Stone confirmed it was looking to build a 43-apartment retirement complex on its Holland Road car park.

The plans include 24 car parking spaces for residents and staff of the complex, but just five for the cinema, and all of those intended for staff not customers.

Read more:Cinema retirement apartment plan sparks fear for venue’s future

The cinema, which has remained closed for more than a year since the second nationwide coronavirus lockdown, confirmed in September the venue would remain closed ‘for at least another nine months’ as it ‘works with a developer’.

It said the plan was to sell off the car park to pay for refurbishment of the Grade II listed building to ‘bring it into the 21 ^st century’.

Now McCarthy Stone has confirmed it intends to build 43 retirement apartments, 26 one-bedroom flats and 17 two-bedroom ones in a block that will be four storeys, nearest the cinema building.

A plan view of the proposed McCarthy Stone retirement apartment complex on the Empire Cinema car park in Sutton Coldfield

Plans revealed on Tuesday (November 9) said the apartments would be ‘part rent-part buy with rental options’.

As well as the apartments and 24-parking spots, there would also be a residents’ lounge, guest suite, internal refuse store and mobility scooter storage with charging points. The L-shaped complex would also have a communal garden and a 24-hour emergency-call service.

But BirminghamLive readers believe the plans place real question marks on the future of the former Odeon and now Empire Cinema.

Read more : Cinema boss says ‘no parking needed’ as first images of flats plan unveiled

Elaine Owens said: “We don’t need another retirement complex. We need our cinema.”

Claire Bardnor said: “My kids love this cinema. Yes the floor is sticky, yes the toilets are like something from a zombie apocalypse movie and the chairs are the most uncomfortable ever, but it is part of our community and we need it back.

Stephen Topliss said: “This is only good news for the shareholders of McCarthy & Stone. My prediction? That cinema will not open as a cinema again This is just the start of more bad news to follow.”

Plans to build a 43-apartment retirement complex on the Empire Cinema car park in Sutton Coldfield have been revealed – but all the cinema’s customer …….

Source: https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/empire-cinema-car-park-development-22130473