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Talks to revive former cinema
DEVELOPERS are being urged to turn around the future of a former cinema. Officials are appealing for something to be done with the former Odeon cinema building in Raby Road, Hartlepool, which has been dubbed a grot spot.
The building is on Hartlepool Mayor Stuart Drummond's hitlist of sites that need sorting out and it has appeared in the Mail's Spot the Grots campaign.
The former Odeon is one of the key strategic buildings for New Deal for Communities (NDC) and staff are working with the owners to find an alternative use for the building as part of an overall strategy to occupy empty buildings in the NDC area.
It is a Grade II listed building meaning that the English Heritage would need to see that any redevelopment was justified, especially if it meant demolition and rebuild.
A feasibility study was carried out on the Odeon last year with the outcome showing that the building would be best suited for a conversion for residential use or a complete redevelopment of the site.
The owners of the building, NDC staff, and Hartlepool Borough Council officers are working to look at ways in which the site may be redeveloped.
NDC business liaison manager Julia Pinchen said: "We would provide advice and support to anyone looking at potential investment in the Odeon building.
"The feasibility study was carried out in order to identify a potential use and help to guide future investment in the property.
"We are working with the current owners and our partners to find a sensible solution and get the site put back into use."
The other strategic buildings that NDC are working to find solutions for are the Crown Building and Titan House, after successfully finding private investment for the Co-op Building on Park Road and the demolition of the Barlows Building to make way for a new health centre.
The owners of the Crown Building have been in contact with NDC and Hartlepool Borough Council staff and are now working on tidying-up the site.
YOU can do your bit to rid the town of its unwanted grot spots by getting in touch with the Mail.
We are not just talking about decaying and dilapidated buildings, but any unsightly areas that cause you concern in and around the town.
Rubbish-strewn streams, littered lanes or ghastly gardens can all make communities unpleasant places to live – and we want to hear about them.
You can contact the on newsdesk on (01429) 239381 or email: mail.news@northeast-press.co.uk
Let us know what you think of your own communities and what could be done to make them better.
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Weather for Hartlepool
Monday 13 February 2012
Today
Cloudy
Temperature: 3 C to 9 C
Wind Speed: 21 mph
Wind direction: North west
Tomorrow
Sunny spells
Temperature: 5 C to 9 C
Wind Speed: 21 mph
Wind direction: North west
