WOULD-BE cinema goers, deprived of a facility in their own town for nearly 20 years, could look forward to a seven-screen multiplex as part of the East Street redevelopment. The surprise announcement that developers Crest Nicholson have agreed terms with Vue Entertainment, one of the UK's leading developer and operator of multiplex cinemas, for just such a facility, was made at Waverley Council's executive meeting on Tuesday. It comes at an opportune moment for the council, as pressure group East Street Action bids to rally support for its claim that the redevelopment scheme carries too little of benefit to the public. The expectation had been that a two-screen cinema would be included in the scheme. "This is tremendous news for Farnham," said Chris Mansell, Waverley's portfolio holder for the development, announcing the intention to provide a seven-screen facility. "Not only has the cinema been a high priority throughout the consultation, especially for young people in Farnham, but the recent town health check placed the need right at the top of the list." In a statement Crest Nicholson confirmed that terms have been agreed with an operator for a seven-screen cinema for the East Street scheme and said that the agreement will be formalised after planning consent. The increased number of screens has generated some changes to the layout of the masterplan agreed last July. The developer said the cinema will now be located close to Dogflud Way and the sports centre, where the new Sainsbury's was previously planned on the easterly side of the proposed town square. The position of the new Sainsbury's will now be on South Street close to the existing store. It will be the same size as the old store and, to maintain continuity, would be completed before the old store is closed, said the developer. The statement continued: "This has also brought about some other changes to the plans, although the fundamental principles of providing public open space in the form of a new town square, a broad avenue down to the river and links to the rest of the town have not changed. "The basic mix of different uses is also the same as the scheme that received widespread support in last year's consultation." The new master plan will be first shown at the first of four consultative forums. The forum, expected to take place this month although a date has not yet been set, is open to the public. Terry Prescott, of Crest Nicholson Developments, said: "These changes are part of the ongoing evolution of the scheme in preparation for a planning application later this year. They have been made as a result of public consultation undertaken over the last two years, discussions with the borough council and negotiations with operators who are keen to take space in the town. "We are confident that the new cinema will improve the scheme for people in Farnham and the level of interest at this early stage is very encouraging, but we need to focus first on a planning application and the consultative forum will give us more valuable input for this over the coming months." Chris Mansell, speaking to Waverley's executive, welcomed the new proposed siting of the cinema and the new store. "The re-siting of the cinema would enable it to be built in the earliest phase of the development. "The Sainsbury's store is now proposed for the lower end of South Street - opposite Victoria Road - with the likelihood of other retail units in the same road. This also has significant advantages for Farnham, bringing a stronger retail presence to South Street than originally envisaged and therefore reinforcing the linkage between the development as a whole and the existing centre of Farnham. "This is all further evidence that we are delivering in the East Street development what the people of Farnham want." At the executive meeting Mr Mansell fielding a question from Conservative councillor Carole Cockburn alleging that five letters sent by the Environment Agency over the last two years had been "witheld" from members until last month. The letters, relating to problems with the land at the Riverside "could have a major impact on plans for the redevelopment of the east street area and the viability of the masterplan", she suggested. She also referred to the fact that three phases were only now being mentioned in connection with the development. "These terms are new to us," she claimed. In his reply Mr Mansell said that in relation to flood risk the scheme had been "beset by the increasing requirements of the Agency". In October, the executive considered a report on these increasing requirements and a cost variation was approved by the council, at a meeting at which Mrs Cockburn was present, he pointed out. He told her: "You, as shadow portfolio holder, receive briefings on all aspects of East Street from relevant officers. In other words, Mrs Cockburn, you have the opportunity to have access to exactly the same information on East Street as I do, the leader has, or indeed any other member of the executive. Turning to the other part of her question, he replied: "Phasing was referred to as far back as the conditional contract which you and your colleagues steamrollered through, and which this administration has managed to get amended in line with Farnham's wishes. Phasing is standard practice in large schemes of this sort." He added: "It's for the developer to decide how he makes the application. This is likely to be in the form of an outline planning application for the whole scheme and a series of detailed planning applications for different phases."
