Latest news with #CertificateofImmunity
BBC News
a day ago
- Business
- BBC News
US cinema executives want historic Milton Keynes cinema preserved
The Americans who helped launch the UK's first purpose-built multiplex cinema have urged a council to preserve its J. Wesoky and Millard Ochs have written to Milton Keynes Council, calling for the preservation of The Point, a 10-screen cinema that opened in 1985 and closed in July, developer Galliard Holdings Ltd won an appeal to demolish the site and replace it with blocks of flats, overturning the council's initial asked to respond to the letters, the authority said: "We're in discussions and seeking a legal position." Mr Ochs, who was a former president of Warner Bros International Cinemas, wrote: "The Point revolutionised cinema-going and set a global standard for multiplexes. "I see The Point as a testament to innovation and community. Its loss would diminish Milton Keynes' heritage and the global narrative of cinema's evolution. "I implore the council to preserve the building or commemorate its legacy through a monument and museum display, ensuring future generations recognise its impact."He suggested the council "issue a Building Preservation Notice to pause demolition for six months" and use that time to pursue listed status from Historic England told the BBC that The Point was assessed and found to fall short of the criteria for listing in February was instead given a Certificate of Immunity, which expires on 14 March 2026, at which point it can be reassessed for listing. Mr Wesoky sent a supporting letter in which he said The Point was responsible for the "regeneration of the British cinema and film industry".The retired chairman and CEO of AMC International Cinemas recalled how they had planned to sell 740,000 tickets in the first year, despite industry analysts predicting less than 500,000 - they eventually sold 1,069,000."The heritage of The Point site must be somehow preserved and acknowledged in a meaningful manner," he wrote. Follow Beds, Herts and Bucks news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
The Independent
31-03-2025
- Entertainment
- The Independent
Owners of £17m Jane Austen country house granted permission to demolish it despite objections from residents
A £17m country house beloved by Jane Austen can be bulldozed planning authorities have ruled, despite objections from local residents. The Pride and Prejudice novelist mentioned Ashe Park House, near Basingstoke, Hampshire, in a number of letters to her sister, Cassandra, when she lived in Steventon, the parish to the south of Ashe where her father was the Rector. Austen wrote about attending balls and other social gatherings on the estate, where she made reference to its 'well-proportioned rooms' and individuals associated with the estate. Now, Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council has given Ashe Park House's current owners, Shuk Ting Sharon Leung and Gillian Sin Hang Ho, who reportedly bought the property in 2022 for £17 million, permission to tear down the property and replace it with a 'traditional country house'. Around 20 local residents have objected to the proposal because of the property's historic connections. Neighbour Deborah de Groot described the property as a 'piece of local history' and said: 'I would be extremely sorry to see this house disappear from our local landscape and would feel very let down by our local planners if this was allowed to go ahead.' A Basingstoke and Deane Council spokesperson confirmed the application to demolish and replace the current property had been approved by the authority's development control committee on 12 March. The council spokesperson said: 'The current Ashe Park House is primarily a 20th century building, with some walling fabric dating from the 1860s. In 2024 Historic England confirmed that the complex of Ashe Park House and its outbuildings does not meet the criteria for listing.' The council cited a previous report from Historic England, which did not recommend the estate become listed, in its justification to approve the demolition. Ashe Park House was awarded a Certificate of Immunity last August, expiring in 2029, which says it cannot be listed for a certain period of time. It states the building should not be listed, because while Austen refers to visiting Ashe Park House in her letters, there is 'no evidence that this earlier building is embedded in the current house of 1865' or that it had 'any direct influence on her literary output'. A council spokesperson said: 'Whilst Jane Austen may have visited the main house in the past, it is not likely that [she] ever visited the house that stands today.' The authority spokesperson added that because the dwelling is a private residence, it is unlikely its demolition will adversely impact local tourism. Austen was born in Steventon Rectory, just a mile from the 232 acre estate, in 1775. While the manor has its origins in the 16th century, Historic England say the house in its current state 'fully, or at least predominantly', is a building of the 1860s, with significant remodelling during the 20th and 21st Century.
