Cinema built in wrong place twice allowed to stand

A cinema complex in Cambridgeshire has been given retrospective planning approval after it was built in the wrong place for a second time.

The £7m Rowley Arts Centre in St. Neots, which is being built by Britannia construction, was dismantled and restarted in May this year after it was built roughly 75cm further north than it should have been.

But then in July the developer Turnstone Estates submitted a request to the council to alter the original plans because the rebuilt cinema had been built in the wrong place for a second time. This time it was built 30cm further west and 20cm further north than it should have been.

However, Huntingdonshire council has now granted the developer permission to keep the building where it is, thereby removing the need for it to be dismantled once again.

The complex includes a six-screen Cineworld cinema, four restaurants and three flats, a public plaza and parking. It was started in November 2012.

A spokesperson for Britannia said: “The issue arose from the construction drawings being different from the planning drawings, as it did before.”

Speaking about the initial error in May Britannia Construction managing director Paul Halfpenny said the problem was due to a “miscalculation”.

He added: “As soon as the miscalculation was identified we have dealt quickly and efficiently to ensure that our client’s instructions are fully complied with, along with our contractual obligations to discharge in accordance with the planning consent.”

Turnstone Estates was unavailable for comment but managing director Chris Goldsmith has previously told local press the second siting error was “imperceptible”.