Easter Group subsidiary Easter & Arun (E&A) is pressing ahead with an 18,580 sq m (200,000 sq ft) West Midlands leisure and multiplex scheme – despite the DETR’s decision to call in a revised planning application for the site incorporating retail uses.
E&A has decided to pursue plans for a stand-alone leisure scheme in Oldbury, which will include a 24-screen multiplex cinema in the first phase of the development, and examine the possibility of incorporating retail use at a later date.
The developer already has outline planning consent but submitted a revised application following the advice of its preferred cinema operator AMC.
Commenting on the call-in decision, a spokesman for E&A said: “We are surprised that the Secretary of State has decided to call in the revised application, given that it is an edge-of-town centre brownfield site, but we will go ahead with our original plans which have outline permission.”
The developer now plans to submit a detailed planning application for the first phase and hopes to be on site in February.
The largely derelict site was assembled by E&A over the last two years and adjoins Oldbury town centre.
Havills is letting agent on the scheme.
EGi News 05/11/98
Do you have a comment about this story? Send a note to the editor.
