A former bingo hall in Walthamstow High Street has been thrown into the spotlight in a recent Waltham Forest Guardian article.

Whilst the EMD has been the centre of attention for the last few years the 80 year old former Dominion cinema has sadly fallen into disrepair since its closure in the mid 90’s.

Residents have been leaving comments on the Guardians website suggesting the Council considers brokering a deal with the owners of the EMD to swap buildings.

Resonding to residents comments, Lib Dem Leader and Deputy Leader of the Council, Cllr John Macklin, said:

“I have read with interest residents comments regarding the Buxton Hall site and possible links with the EMD. It is something I have discussed with the Chief Executive of the Council as an idea.”

“At present we are not dealing with a certain solution but one which relies on many complex stages. We need to consider IF the council can obtain Buxton Hall, then IF the church wants to do a deal. We then have to determine whether a cinema operator will help us return the EMD to a cinema. Finally, we have the additional problems of Labours plans for the Arcade site and UKCG’s planning application.”

“I can state again that the preferred option for Lib Dems, with regard to the EMD, is a cinema but we are also aware that the UKCG has the need to provide a good quality venue for its congregation.”

In 2007 Lib Dem High Street Councillor, James O’Rourke, participated in the Prince’s Foundation for the Built Environment public enquiry on the future of the Walthamstow Town Centre where he suggested Buxton Hall is considered as a possible Community theatre and multi-use space.

Cllr O’Rourke said: “Working with the Prince’s Foundation for the Built Environment not long after my election was exciting. As a new councillor I was stirred up by the prospects for the area I grew up in and now represent. Sadly. three years on the Prince’s Foundation Masterplan has become yet another mantlepiece exhibit for Labour’s Regeneration Cabinet member.”

“We need action, as demonstrated by neighbouring boroughs, not just masterplans”

High Street Focus Team have received a number of inquiries from concerned residents following the delivery of a Labour leaflet in High Street ward.

Under the banner ‘Fighting to save Walthamstow’s EMD cinema’ Labour’s Parliamentary candidate for Walthamstow asks residents to “join [her] and McGuffins at the council planning hearing in January as we demonstrate against plans to close our cinema.”

In response to an inquiry from High Street ward Councillor, James O’Rourke, the Councils planning department confirmed that there is no planning committee in January and stated “There are still a number of issues for discussion with the applicants and their agents and we are still reviewing all the responses from statutory, non statutory groups and residents. Once matters progress further we will be in a better position to consider a Committee date.”

In a joint statement Cllr O’Rourke and Council Deputy Leader, Cllr John Macklin, said:

“This is yet more Labour misinformation and maneuvering to add to that which has taken place over a number of years and has fed such confusion and dismay amongst residents.”

“We have had a number of meetings with the UCKG and independent cinema operators and a cinema at the EMD is our preferred option.”

The local Waltham Forest Guardian is reporting that Labour councillors tried unsuccessfully “to force the sale of the fomer St James St library building on to a Cabinet agenda”.

The Guardian reports that the attempt to push through the sale of the former St James St library building was stopped when Liberal Democrat Leader Cllr John Macklin refused the request and withdrew the report from the agenda.  The move came at the same Cabinet meeting as the controversial decision to go ahead with plans for an Arcade site development which raises doubts over the future of the Pool and Track facility.

Click here to see what the local press are reporting.

Local Liberal Democrats have confirmed their opposition to plans to close the Pool and Track in order to fund the long-awaited Arcade development before a consultation on the area has been completed.

A new report, which will go to Cabinet on the 15th September, asks senior councillors to agree to authorise officers to find a developer for a “mixed use scheme” on the vacant Arcade site, using £10million from the disposal of the Pool and Track, plus an option of Council borrowing, for a replacement facility on the site at the top of Walthamstow High Street.

And despite forcing last-minute changes to the report - which had already been published for consideration by the Council’s Scrutiny panel - Local Lib Dem Leader Cllr John Macklin has again expressed his concerns that the plans for the Arcade site will have serious knock on effects for a series of redevelopment projects in the area that are not sufficiently covered in the plans.

In March this year Liberal Democrat cabinet members voted against an earlier report laying the groundwork for the plan, with Cllr Macklin telling a cabinet meeting that the Council had  “a history of knocking things down and leaving them derelict and I am worried about swapping one piece of derelict land in Walthamstow for another near the town hall”.

Outlining his concerns, Cllr Macklin claimed that the report would have serious knock-on effects both for the future of the Pool and Track facility and the planning application recently submitted for development of the former EMD cinema.  Cllr Macklin added that, despite last-ditch efforts within the Town Hall to urge Labour cabinet members to postpone the plans, the report will go forward.

Cllr Macklin said:

“I just cannot see the logic in bringing these proposals forward at this time.

“The report regarding the future of the Pool and Track site has not even been completed and an outstanding planning application for the former EMD is yet to be heard.  The approval we are being asked to give in this report will obviously have massive implications for both these developments.

“First and foremost, as a Chapel End ward councillor I am really unhappy with the lack of clear proposals for the area behind the Town hall, including the Pool and Track, the allotments and the playing fields.

“It seems obvious to me that any decision to shut any of the Pool and Track facilities as part of the Arcade development should only be taken when we know what alternatives are being proposed for the Pool and Track site.  I have already met with allotment holders and other site users who are really worried about development on the site. 

“What effects will the closure of the leisure centre have on the athletics track?  The plans for that area currently laid out in the report seem almost laughably vague”.

The report suggests that the land “could become more fully utilised and provide an important resource for residents, and provide a wide range of facilities”.  It also claims that the decision whether to agree to the funding of a leisure centre on the Arcade may be influential to the likelihood of a new cinema being built on the site, a proposal that could have an impact on the outstanding planning application to renovate the former EMD cinema.

Cllr Macklin added:

“I would love to be reassured that the pieces of these various development plans fit together, and that this report isn’t simply part of a financial gamble to get a development of any sort built on the Arcade site, but that is increasingly what this looks like.  The goalposts appear to keep shifting and the reassurances we have repeatedly asked for have not been forthcoming.

“The development of these various sites needs to be part of a clear overall plan for our area, not simply piecemeal building projects that give the impression that the Council is simply chasing its own tail.”

What do you think of the plans to close the Pool and Track?  Do you think the Arcade proposals will have an impact on the EMD planning application?

Below is the original report published on the Council website.  Let us know your views!

High Street Lib Dems have called on the Councils Chief Executive to do all in his power to protect the 107 listed buildings in Waltham Forest and in particular the Grade II listed former Granada cinema after reports, over the weekend, of yet more of the structure falling off.High St councillor James O’Rourke said:

“I have asked the Chief Executive to seriously consider invoking his powers under the Town & Country Planning Act 1990 to issue either an Urgent Works or Repair Notice to protect this historic building and passer-bys from being seriously injured.”

“Clearly, this buildings integrity is a major concern after a Health and Safety Prohibition Notice was issued, a couple of weeks ago, preventing anyone from entering the premises unless they are wearing full Personal Protective Equipment to protect them from exposure to asbestos. Whatever the future of this building may be its heritage needs to be protected.”

Last summer officials in the Department of Culture, Media and Sport drew up a Heritage Protection Bill to change how we list historic buildings and how we protect our heritage.

However, despite there being a very thin legislative programme last year, the Bill did not make it into the Queen’s Speech. Now Gordon Brown has listed his proposed bills for this year’s address by Her Majesty, and guess what? It is still not there.

“It seems Labour both nationally and locally are not particularly interested in the heritage of this country” added Cllr O’Rourke.

Local Liberal Democrat councillors have met for a second time with the UK’s largest independent cinema operators to discuss the historic former EMD building in Walthamstow  – on the same day that the Council’s portfolio holder for regeneration appeared to dash resident’s hopes that the venue would ever be restored as a cinema.

Lyn Goleby, Managing Director of City Screen – the owner of Stratford’s popular Picture House cinema - met at Waltham Forest Town Hall with the borough’s Chief Executive Andrew Kilburn, Liberal Democrat group Leader John Macklin and High St councillor James O’Rourke to discuss previous Council-commissioned reports which made the business case for a 5-screen cinema on the EMD site.

The building is owned by the Universal Church of the Kingdom of God (UCKG), but recent comments from the UCKG have seemed to suggest that the Church would consider moving if an offer was made for the building. 

Cllr O’Rourke said that the meeting with City Screen had been organised in order to ensure all parties could “hear another perspective” on claims that the site was not viable as a cinema.

However, just hours later Council portfolio holder Terry Wheeler appeared to strongly rule out any future for the building as a cinema.  (Click here to read the Waltham Forest Guardian’s report on Cllr Wheeler’s comments)

Local Lib Dem leader Cllr John Macklin, who was in attendance at the meeting with City Screen, said:

“I have met with UCKG representatives and very much welcome the efforts they have made to begin engaging with residents and councillors. Of course I recognise the legal restrictions which are associated with planning law and respect the UCKG’s position as owners of the site.

“Yet it is completely wrong for the Council – which is led on this issue by Cllr Wheeler - to be seen to be so completely dismissive of the apparent strength of public opinion on this matter. It is the misinformation and manoeuvring that has taken place over a number of years that has fed such confusion and dismay amongst residents.

“Conflicting reports over the viability of the site as a cinema, false promises of Council action and meetings held behind closed doors have all led to an environment of distrust and anger.

“As I have said before, it is simply not good enough to appear to just tell Walthamstow residents what they want in their area.”

Local Liberal Democrat councillors have met with one of the UK’s largest cinema regeneration operators to discuss possibilities for the historic former EMD cinema in Walthamstow.

High St councillor James O’Rourke met with representatives of City Screen at the Town Hall this week after the company expressed an ongoing interest in the building on Hoe Street.  City Screen, which was formed in 1989 to “challenge the multiplex cinema model and provide cinemas in city centre locations”, have been responsible for a series of cinema regenerations and new build facilities across the country, including the Clapham Picturehouse and The Ritzy in Brixton.

At the meeting Lyn Goleby, the Managing Director of City Screen, suggested that with the right funding package the site was still viable as a cinema, highlighting earlier reports paid for by the Council that made the business case for a 5-screen cinema on the EMD site.

Lyn Goleby said:

“Our previous work has shown clearly that the redevelopment of historic cinema buildings, such as the former EMD in Walthamstow, can act as an organic catalyst for wider generation.

“These projects attract other businesses to the area and really stimulate the night time economy.”

Noting recent conjecture over the usage of the building, Lyn Goleby highlighted City Screen’s investment in cinema regeneration projects such as the former EMD, suggesting that such private operator funding, complimented by other investment or grant opportunities, remained the best way to proceed financially in these instances.

After the meeting, Cllr James O’Rourke said:

“I welcome the fact that UCKG representatives met with ward councillors and made some effort to display their plans to local residents.  They will obviously have heard the many concerns expressed regarding the usage of the building.

“I am always keen to hear people’s thoughts about the site and was pleased to meet with City Screen.  It was intriguing to see some of the plans for the building that were drawn up in 2002 at around the same time the EMD cinema originally closed.  These appear to confirm that the site could remain a viable proposition as a cinema.
 
“The use of the building is an issue people are rightly very passionate about, and I was interested to note recent comments from the UCKG which seemed to suggest that they would consider moving if an offer was made. 

“If this is the case and as City Screen suggested financial investment could see the site renovated as a 5-screen cinema, I would hope any interested
parties would be willing to sit down and talk about it.”

Local LIb Dem councillor James O’Rourkes blog carries news of the High St FOCUS team’s recent briefing on the future of the former EMD site in Hoe St.

The historic building, owned by the UK Church of God, has been earmarked for a redevelopment that will see a theatre, cafe and gallery placed on the site complex.

Cllr O’Rourke has been the first to bring you news of the plans after he discovered that talks over the future of the former cinema were taking place between owners and cabinet members.  The High St LIb Dem team have given a cautious welcome to the plans.

Read more of what Cllr O’Rourke has to say on the issue at his excellent blogsite.

News emerges from High St councillor James O’Rourke that councillors are to be given the opportunity to view proposals for the regeneration of the former EMD cinema in Hoe Street at a presentation by the owners of the building , the UK Church of God.

We reported earlier this month that Cllr O’Rourke had been gioven access to the building after press reports that squatters were occupying the site emrged over Christmas.  Cllr O’Rourke managed to take some pictures of the inside of the historic building during his visit.

Cllr O’Rourke, who has consistently fought for greater transparency from the Council with regards to the future of the site, has more on the development at his blog.

Following recent press reports of squatters using the EMD building in Walthamstow, local High St councillor James O’Rourke was given access to the site to take up the case.

But whilst James found no evidence of squatters, he did discover that the owners of the former cinema are apparently in talks to proceed with a new usage of the building, with a planning application expected possibly as early as late January or early February.

Cllr O’Rourke said:

“I will be contacting the relevant Cabinet members to ask urgently for details about these discussions and plans on behalf of High Street residents.”

For more information on the future of the EMD site - and some exclusive pictures from inside the building - head over to Cllr O’Rourkes blog.