Storage facility plan for old Walsall cinema
The site of a former Walsall cinema will be used as a temporary storage facility before a huge car supermarket is built there.
Walsall Council planning officers granted permission for the proposal by Bailey Family Investments group (BF) for the land which once was home to Showcase Cinema on Bentley Mill Way.
The company, which owns the Trade Centre Group, said it will not be starting the original plan to redevelop it into a sales showroom which they’d put an application in to Walsall Council for back in 2021.
It was originally intended to replace the existing Trade Centre site in Wednesbury with this larger showroom.
But representatives have stressed they still planned on progressing with that once the financial climate improves for them.
The cinema was opened on August 25 in 1989 but closed permanently in April 2021 following a temporary closure in December 2020.
Agents AP Architecture and Planning said: “Due to the current depressed economic conditions the Bailey Family Investments group (BF), owners of the Trade Centre Group will not be commencing development of the Walsall site any time soon.
“The group’s current focus is on improving the efficiency of its existing Trade Centre Wales and Trade Centre UK sites and operations and it does not currently need the additional car sales facility that the Walsall site would provide.
“However, as soon as economic conditions improve, the group aims to open further retail sites in the Midlands and North of England and will develop the Walsall site at the appropriate time.
“The group still plans to create over 100 high-quality jobs at the site when it is developed.
“In the meantime, Bailey Family Investments wishes to utilise the Walsall site for open storage to generate a cash contribution towards its site holding costs.
“The proposal forming this full planning application is therefore for a temporary change of use of the site to allow it to be used as open storage for a period of 3 years. No other alterations are proposed.
“A three year temporary period would coincide well with implementation period of (the original application) once approved. And would allow a smooth transition between the temporary use and car sales use.
“The hours of operation for the open storage facility would be the same as the car sales 9am to 9pm Monday to Friday and 9am to 6pm on weekends/bank holidays."
