BACKGROUND NOTE: The report to the sub-committee records that planning permission was refused in December 2009 under application ref. 09/02202 for change of use from bingo hall (Class D2) to church/ community use (Class D1) together with ancillary offices, cafe and bookshop on the following grounds:

“The proposed development, involving the loss of an important entertainment/leisure use within Use Class D2 and the introduction of a a reduction in the range of facilities provided within the town centre detrimental to the proper functioning of the daytime and evening economy and harmful to the social, cultural and economic characteristics of the area, thereby contrary to Policies 3A.18, 3D.1 and 4B.8 of the London Plan.

“The nature of the activity associated with a class D1 use such as a place of worship and the scale of the user means that they are likely to have a wide catchment for its congregation and attract a large number of cars and as a result the development will have a significant adverse impact on the surrounding area in terms of parking demand and pedestrian safety, contrary to Policy T18 of the Unitary Development Plan.”

The Pentecostal church which purchased the former cinema at 25 Church Road, Crystal Palace looks set to move in and open up – using the name ‘The Open Door’

Three new planning applications submitted by KICC – Kingsway International Christian Centre – to Bromley council for consideration state they are for a new canopy ‘and alterations to the front elevation’; a non-illuminated wall mounted advertisement display board; and one for bicycle racks and benches where the advertising hoardings stood.

The words ‘The Open Door’ would appear above the canopy.

But a closer examination of detailed drawings which accompany the three applications show that:

• KICC plan to remove the existing doors replacing them with higher, wider doors – demolishing some of the original facade of the building in the process.
• The canopy would be about one metre (three ft) higher than the remnants of the existing canopy.
• The proposed advertisement board – which would be sitred above the benched area – is a 30 sheet size – 6578.6mm x 2921 m
• Drawings which accompany the application include a bookshop with feature ladder on sliding track and what is listed as a ‘security room (ticketing)’ with clerk’s window at ticketing booth.
• A cafe is also featured in a separate drawing.

The applicant’s email is given as KICCSW@KICC.org.uk – and it was their South West branch covering Wimbledon which KICC originally intended using the building as a church for. The project name and address is given as KI9CC SOUTHWEST 25 Church Road.

Charity Commission records accessed online show that KICC Open Door was registered in July this year.

Its objectives state that they are for the benefit of the public; the advancement of the Christian religion and the furtherance of the charitable work of the church by the advancement of such other charitable purposes as the trustees shall from time to time decide.

One of the trustees is The Rev. Andrew Eshun Yawson who is also listed as a trustee of the newly-registered KICC National Forum UK which ‘provides services’ but it does not state what type of services these are.

The Crystal Palace Cinema Campaign, is fighting to return a former cinema at 25 Church Road, Upper Norwood back to its original use. Campaigners and local residents held a demonstration in Crystal Palace Park on Saturday, organised by the Crystal Palace Triangle Planning Group, against a religious charity’s controversial plans to use the building for concerts.

Last Saturday members of Kingsway International Christian Centre’s (KICC) South West Branch, who had gathered in Crystal Palace Park for an event described as  “A New Beginning’, were met with the sight of over 120 local residents holding up a giant message saying: “Save 25 Church Road for a cinema.” Among those backing the protesters was Steve O’Connell, GLA member for Croydon and Sutton who said the demonstration showed the continued strength of local feeling for a cinema.

KICC, which claims to be the largest growing church in Western Europe and promotes itself as “Raising Champions, Taking Territories’” bought the former cinema at 25 Church Road, Upper Norwood in July 2009. At the time KICC indicated that the building was badly needed to hold services for up to 650 of its congregation, drawn from as far as Kent and Surrey. In December 2009, following written objections by over 3500 residents of Crystal Palace and objections by Croydon, Lambeth and Southwark Councils, KICC lost its application to Bromley Council for permission for change of use of the building to a place of worship.

Local campaigners and residents claimed that KICC’s plans for the building were damaging to the local area and that the best use of the building was for it to be returned to its original use as a cinema.  It is understood that a well-known commercial cinema operator was prepared to buy the building, having been looking for a suitable venue in Crystal Palace for over 5 years.

However, despite the considerable level of local opposition and KICC’s failure to get permission to change 25 Church Road into a place of worship, KICC issued a press release indicating that they were exploring using 25 Church Road for concerts, including Christian music.

The proposal to hold concerts does not appear to have gone down well with local residents.

A spokesman for the Crystal Palace Triangle Planning Group,  remarked that “Having failed to win the argument that 25 Church Road is suitable for large scale acts of worship, many residents are very angry at KICC’s apparent intentions to now host concerts of Christian music at 25 Church Road. The proposals appear to fly in the face of the views of Crystal Palace residents – over 7,000 of whom signed a petition to bring a Cinema to Crystal Palace. The latest demonstration underlines the strength of local feeling.

Regrettably it is beginning to look like KICC are intent on “taking territories” rather than respecting local wishes and retreating from their public statement that they did not “wish to be seen as “fighting” the very community it wished to serve”.

It is very troubling that a charity can spend £1.25 million of charitable funds to acquire a building as a place of worship, fail to get planning permission and then feel that it is appropriate to try to run the building as a public entertainment venue, hosting concerts of Christian music. This is all the more so when KICC’s own planning consultant submitted to Bromley Council that use of 25 Church Road as a concert venue had the potential to cause significant noise and disturbance and parking problems in the local area.

Moreover the apparent decision by KICC to hold on to 25 Church Road is surprising given KICC’s claim that the building was needed to accommodate an expanding congregation in South West London.  A turnout of less than 100 congregants at their event in Crystal Palace Park on Saturday suggests that KICC do not have a significant local congregation and do not need a building in Crystal Palace which can hold as many as 1150 people.

To press on with such controversial plans, regardless of local feeling, is particularly unsettling when the Charity Commission advises that charities facing local opposition to a property transaction should “consult widely and provide full information about their proposals and the reasons for them”. KICC have been asked on several occasions to meet with local representatives and three local MP’s to discuss local opposition but have failed to take up that invitation. Furthermore there has been no sign of a public consultation which was indicated over 10 months ago ”.

Eighteen months after buying the former Rialto cinema building in Crystal Palace locals remain in the dark as to KICC’s intentions

Eighteen months after buying 25 Church Road, Kingsway International Christian Centre (KICC) is still refusing to meet MPs and members of the local community to make clear its intentions for the former cinema and bingo hall.

Both residents and local traders remain in the dark as to KICC’s plans for the site since Bromley council refused its idea to turn the building into a church back in December 2009.

Now, with almost a year having passed and the building still empty, KICC claims it is unable to meet local MPs Jim Dowd, Malcolm Wicks and Tessa Jowell until February 2011 at the earliest.

With Bromley Council also having asked KICC to meet representatives of the Crystal Palace community, locals fear they may be deploying delaying tactics or perhaps trying to avoid consultation altogether.

Campaigners are concerned about the dilapidated state of the exterior of 25 Church Road, which has remained unused since June 2009, and have pointed out that in November 2009, KICC’s planning agent stated that its client had “no intention to relinquish or sell off the property for other uses and, therefore, the building could remain unoccupied falling further into disrepair which would have no benefit to the local community.

Tessa Jowell’s office has now written again to KICC asking for a meeting before the end of this year.

Meanwhile, campaigners are regrouping in the wake of other emerging applications for cinemas in the Crystal Palace Triangle. While the Picture Palace Campaign welcomes the support of these other developers for the principle of bringing a cinema to Crystal Palace, it remains concerned as to the fate of 25 Church Road which is the only large D2 (leisure use) building in the area and in an ideal position to help the regeneration of businesses on that side of the Triangle.

Controversial plans to turn a former cinema in Crystal Palace into a church have been rejected by a Bromley council planning committee – on the chairman’s casting vote.

Kingsway International Christian Centre had wanted to turn the former cinema and bingo hall in Church Road into a church after buying the building from Gala bingo hall. The move has sparked a massive groundswell of public opposition from residents and traders – the vast majority of whom want the building turned back into a cinema.

But the future of the building could now be uncertain after a letter from KICC’s agents for the application stated that if planning permission was not forthcoming the building would just be allowed to fall into disrepair.

At the council’s plans sub-committee meeting on Thursday December 17th Cllr Sarah Phillips (Con. Clock House), moving the motion for refusal, said keeping the building as D2 use was about how Crystal Palace would remain in the future. There was not a shortage of D1 uses – churches – in the area.

“Keeping D2 use will be good for business and cultural reasons and the viability of the future of Crystal Palace” she said.

Cllr John Getgood (Lab, Penge and Cator) said the Triangle area of Crystal Palace “was a special community all of its own with small artisan businesses developing very, very nicely – and that needs to be supported.

“There’s nothing wrong with having another church. The problem is this doesn’t come from that community. It’s being imposed on that community. If it was already in the area I could see a good reason for allowing it. This is a wandering tribe looking for a home.”

Cllr Getgood, who recalled that in the late 1950s he used to go to Saturday cinema in the same building, said parking caused by the arrival of the church would be intolerable for people living in the area.

Cllr Alexa Michael (Con Bromley Common and Keston) said she did not find the officers’ report to committee about the application particularly helpful. “A lot seems to mention things that aren’t planning grounds. There seems to be a great demand for leisure. Cinemas have to offer multiplexes if they are to survive economically.

“The chances are they would draw in people from outside the area. Any type of use will draw in fairly large numbers. I’m not convinced the reasons for refusal are strong.” She asked for a further report and to arrange for a members site visit.

Cllr Peter Dean (Con. Kelsey and Eden Park) said he had been about to make some of the points made by Cllr Michael. “It’s not a great report. We’re not looking at an application for a cinema.”

He said he could understand the concerns voiced by Crystal Palace Cllr Tom Papworth (Lib Dem) who gave a videoed address to the committee.

“But I have a concern that if this application is refused residents will end up with exactly what they don’t want. This could be won on appeal. The two main reasons for refusal are that a major entertainment facility is going to be lost. You’re replacing a bingo hall with a church – how contentious is that?

“They are going to operate a great number of community facilities. On the face of it that’s not such a bad idea if you don’t know the area.”

On traffic and parking he said that if there was one area in ‘our borough’ that was used to handling large numbers of parking it was the Crystal Palace area. The traffic report prepared by the applicant actually put the parking element in perspective, he said

“The grounds for refusal are dubious. I’d like more thought to go into this.” he added.

Cllr Getgood, responding, said: “The church community facilities do not come out of that community – they are being imposed on them. There are occasional large entertainments in Crystal Palace park but they are not twice a day on Sunday. This is a regular imposition on the people of the area and it’s not fair for them to put up with that.”

Councillors voted three – three with committee chairman Cllr Gordon Jenkins (Con. Bickley) voting for the application to be refused. Cllr Jenkins then used his casting vote, saying: “I’m not one of those who bends with the wind. The application is refused.” Cllr Dean asked for his vote against to be recorded.