Latest news with #EquippersChurch
BBC News
10 hours ago
- Business
- BBC News
Plans to turn former Weybridge cinema into church approved
Plans to convert a former 1920s cinema in Surrey into a modern church venue have been approved. Elmbridge Borough Council sold Weybridge Hall to Equippers Church for £1.2m in Church Street venue, which has been empty since 2014, includes a vacant shop and community hall on the ground floor and a vacant four-bedroom flat across the second and third of the council approved an application to turn it into a community facility, primarily for religious gatherings on Tuesday, as reported by the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS). Equippers Church hopes to revamp the venue into an auditorium of around 400 seats, with kitchen space near the foyer. The proposals also include additional meeting rooms on the first, second and third floors for community and religious permission had previously been granted to turn the site into a cinema with flats above it, but the council said the development "never materialised".Speaking on behalf of residents on Minorca Road running directly beside the hall, Kath Wallace said the proposal will significantly and negatively impact on residents from a noise disturbance, parking and traffic said noise conditions have been recommended as the sound insulation was labelled as inadequate to modern standards. Paul Utley, speaking for the applicant, said it is "really important to us to be good neighbours" and "be an asset to the community". Councillor Judy Sarsbury says the high street "needs rejuvenation" and that Weybridge "needs the building to come alive again" to attract more people. The scheme received around 32 letters of objection, with those against arguing it should be a space that benefits the whole of Weybridge or should be used as a theatre of cinema. No theatre or performing arts group had offered to buy the building, the council said.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Former 1920s cinema could become church venue
A former 1920s cinema, which has been empty since 2014, could be turned into a church venue. Elmbridge Borough Council sold Weybridge Hall to Equippers Church for £1.2m in November. On Tuesday, the planning committee at Elmbridge will decide an application to turn it into a community facility, primarily for religious gatherings. Council officers have said permission should be granted. The venue, in Church Street, Weybridge in Surrey, had previously been granted permission to become a cinema with flats above it but the council said the development "never materialised". Currently, the building includes a vacant shop and community hall on the ground floor and a vacant four-bedroom flat across the second and third floors. Meeting documents said that under the plans the main auditorium could be used by local schools and community groups when not in use by the church and multi-purpose studios on the upper floors would be available to hire. The application received 32 letters of objection, many of which said there were other religious venues in the area and that the building should be used for the benefit of the community of Weybridge as a whole. At the time of agreeing the sale in November, the council said Equippers Church would "preserve the historical essence of Weybridge Hall" and "breathe new life into the building". The council said no offer to buy the building was received from a theatre or arts group. Among the objections to the current application was that a cinema, theatre or youth group would be preferable to the church proposal. According to its website, Equippers Church is a global movement of local churches across 16 countries. Follow BBC Surrey on Facebook, on X, and on Instagram. Send your story ideas to southeasttoday@ or WhatsApp us on 08081 002250. New library and community hub to open in summer U-turn over concerts on Thames private island Office block to make way for new 70-bed care home Elmbridge Borough Council
BBC News
4 days ago
- Business
- BBC News
Former 1920s cinema Weybridge Hall could become Equippers Church
A former 1920s cinema, which has been empty since 2014, could be turned into a church Borough Council sold Weybridge Hall to Equippers Church for £1.2m in Tuesday, the planning committee at Elmbridge will decide an application to turn it into a community facility, primarily for religious officers have said permission should be granted. The venue, in Church Street, Weybridge in Surrey, had previously been granted permission to become a cinema with flats above it but the council said the development "never materialised".Currently, the building includes a vacant shop and community hall on the ground floor and a vacant four-bedroom flat across the second and third floors. Meeting documents said that under the plans the main auditorium could be used by local schools and community groups when not in use by the church and multi-purpose studios on the upper floors would be available to application received 32 letters of objection, many of which said there were other religious venues in the area and that the building should be used for the benefit of the community of Weybridge as a whole. At the time of agreeing the sale in November, the council said Equippers Church would "preserve the historical essence of Weybridge Hall" and "breathe new life into the building".The council said no offer to buy the building was received from a theatre or arts the objections to the current application was that a cinema, theatre or youth group would be preferable to the church to its website, Equippers Church is a global movement of local churches across 16 countries.
