Decision time on planned temporary cinema move to Berwick Barracks that has split opinion

Members of Northumberland County Council’s North Northumberland Local Area Committee will be asked to give the proposal the green light at the next meeting of the committee, which will take place at Berwick Sports and Leisure Centre in Tweedmouth on Thursday (May 18) from 2pm.

Residents on nearby Ravensdowne formed a group opposing the application to convert the Barracks Mobilisation or ‘Mob Store’ into a 96-seat cinema and the council report to the meeting says that ‘eight objections have been received from the occupants of five residential properties within Ravensdowne’.

However, a total of eight supporting comments have also been received.

The council and The Maltings (Berwick) Trust want to use the English Heritage venue to accommodate audiences while the Eastern Lane theatre complex is rebuilt between 2023 and 2025.

As previously reported, opponents say parking would be a major issue – with the nearest car park on Parade already at capacity during the summer season – among other issues.

Ian Madeley, who lives on Ravensdowne and represents the group of opposition residents, said: “We fully support the vision from English Heritage to bring historic buildings back into use and are excited by their plans for future development of the barracks.

“However, the plan to use the Mob Store as a cinema may be convenient for them but it is damaging to Ravensdowne and will inevitably lead to resentment and conflict.”

But Joe Lang, a member of the Berwick Barracks Heritage Trust, said in his letter supporting the bid: “The proposed development of the Mob Store as a temporary cinema – and it will be only temporary – is the first visible step in a complex, interlocking series of projects that will transform perceptions of the town and re-energise its economy.”

Planning officers at the council are recommending that the councillors grant planning permission, subject to conditions being met.

Their conclusions in their report include the following: “Given the detailed design of the development, its scale and the separation distances to nearby residential properties, together with the proposed vehicular and pedestrian access arrangements, it is considered that the proposed development is acceptable with regard to its impact on the residential amenities of the area.”