PROPOSALS to drop the seven-screen cinema from the Beamish & Crawford redevelopment have been given the go-ahead by Cork City Council.
Building company Bam has been granted permission to make changes to the original planning in relation to the central part of the site around the historic Counting House building. It was planned to have a historic interpretive centre in the Counting House with a cinema on the upper floors and a viewing tower above.
In November, Bam lodged plans with City Hall to modify the existing planning permission for Zone B of the Beamish site.
The original permission included a seven-screen cinema, an observation tower, and a brewing experience interpretive centre that would detail the history of brewing on the site.
In their new application, Bam sought to drop the cinema and instead use the space for offices and educational uses.
In response, planners wrote to Bam outlining concerns about the plans to reduce the size of the interpretive centre and, as a result, the company submitted revised plans increasing the amount of space for a brewery interpretive centre.
Following another assessment of the plans, planners have now granted permission for the changes.
Separately work is underway constructing student apartments on the northern section of the site in Zone A.
Uncertainty remains over the Events Centre itself with further discussions taking place between Bam, the City Council and the Government on funding for the development.
Labour Party representative Peter Horgan who had opposed the plan to drop the cinema said he was disappointed with the planners' decision.
“I’m disappointed that further changes to this project have been given while the issue of funding remains in the air.”