Church suffers setback in plans to take over Upper Norwood bingo hall
By Ian Austen
ian.austen@essnmedia.co.uk
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ANGER: Protesters outside the Gala bingo hall earlier this year
An evangelical church has hit an early hitch in its plan to take over the site of the former Gala Bingo Club, in Church Road, Upper Norwood.
Plans seeking permission for a change of use from an entertainment centre to religious premises have been submitted to Bromley Council by the Kingsway International Christian Centre (KICC).
But last week the church was informed by council planners that they were unhappy with the amount of detail accompanying the application.
As a result they have asked it to clarify aspects of the scheme before it can be put before councillors for a decision.
A spokesman for KICC said: "The information the council has asked for is now being collated."
The church's plans have been met with widescale opposition in the area from residents who favour an idea from a company called City Screen.
It wants to use the premises as a cinema showing arthouse and foreign language films.
KICC says its intention is to use the building as a centre from which the whole community can benefit.
3 Comments
by Matt, Crystal Palace
Monday, September 07 2009, 3:05PM
“ComradeC has hit the nail on the head. The problem we have with KICC is that they are a filthy rich chuch.
Ain't they all?”
by lloyd, NA
Thursday, September 03 2009, 5:29PM
“Why don,t they turn this bingo hall into an odeon cinama that way it's used by local people ,anyway their are to many different religion it,s getting like a Fashion celeb thing and it,s as boring as hell??”
by ComradeC, Crystal Palace
Wednesday, September 02 2009, 12:50PM
“It is difficult to understand how the KICC can think this will benefit the whole community when their congregation will be relocating from Wimbledon and Tooting and they are proposing to take away the only entertainment venue we have in Crystal Palace. Do the charity commission have a view on charities buying community buildings that do not have the correct planning designation and without consulting the local community first. Seems completely wrong to me.”