Former historic cinema in Swansea to become flats and restaurant

A FORMER cinema damaged by fire and then Second World War bombing is set to be converted into flats and a restaurant.
The listed Castle Cinema building, which is around 110 years old, ceased showing films in the 1980s. Part of it has been used in recent years as a laser game venue, but a report before Swansea Council’s planning committee said the building was considered at risk due to structural and other issues.
Plans were approved six years ago to convert it into student flats and a commercial unit but have since lapsed. Now a Cardiff-based developer, Easy Living, has secured planning consent from the council for 30 flats, a restaurant in a two-storey glass side extension and office space at the rear, although Welsh Government heritage body Cadw will have the final say on changes to the listed building.
A council place-making officer told the planning committee that the building’s “classic Beaux Arts” front, made of Bath stone, would be restored and that despite its deteriorating condition original features such as plaster ceilings and wall panels, and the cinema’s original paying booth, were still present.
“There are some really interesting features just waiting to come back,” he said. The scheme, he added, had been “very sensitively designed” and “thoroughly negotiated”.
The 30 one, two and three-bedroom flats, subject to Cadw’s final approval, will be built by Easy Living for social housing provider Coastal Housing. Councillors were told the building’s ridge height wouldn’t increase but new dormer roofs would be added. A new steel frame would also be inserted into the building while the glass restaurant extension overlooking Castle Square and the adjacent castle would be hung from cantilevered beams. A planning report said the restaurant and smaller office unit at the rear – on The Strand – could accommodate up to 40 jobs. There’ll be bike storage space on site for workers and residents but no car parking.
Cllr Mair Baker asked if bats lived in the building and whether the developer would have to install bat and bird boxes. She was advised there wasn’t evidence of bats but that boxes would need to be provided.
The planning report said the cinema was built between 1912 and 1914, suffered fire damage in 1927 and bomb damage in 1944. The interior was refitted in 1962 although some original features were kept. There used to be a building immediately adjacent which was home for many years to The South Wales Evening Post.
A group called the Cinema Theatre Association has backed Easy Living’s plans on the proviso that the facade and Castle Cinema sign at the rear were retained and the paying booth put back at the front of the building. Cadw raised concerns about the potential impact on the adjacent castle, which is listed and also a scheduled ancient monument. The council’s planning department said it felt this matter had been adequately addressed in a heritage impact assessment.
Other groups, including the Victorian Society, responded to the developer’s application for listed building consent for changes to the building. The society claimed the scheme would unacceptably harm Castle Cinema’s “special significance”, while the Ancient Monuments Society welcomed a reduction in size of the glazed restaurant extension but said it still had some concerns. The council’s planning department recommended approval, subject to conditions and Cadw’s final say-so – a recommendation that the planning committee voted in favour of.
Laserzone, which uses the ground floor of the Castle Cinema building, said it would remain there for a few months before relocating to a new venue in the city centre subject to a lease being agreed and signed. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

By BBC LDRS ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​