Should the Piano Building make way for a cinema? Have your say

Our make-or-break referendum asks whether the people of Wyre Forest would rather have the Piano Building - which was listed following an appeal by the town's civic society last month - or a new six-screen cinema built in its place.

And your verdict will help the firm financing the redevelopment of the town centre to decide whether it presses ahead with the time-consuming and costly process of applying for listed building consent to bulldoze the disused former carpet warehouse, which dates back to the 19th century. the Piano Building.

Resurrecting the Weavers Wharf plan is thought to be the only option to bring a cinema to Wyre Forest for the first time in 21 years after the final nail was hammered into the coffin of an alternative scheme at Crossley Park earlier this month.

Now bosses at Highstone Estates, which is forward-funding the revamp of the town centre, are offering townsfolk the chance to convince them there is enough support for them to spend about a year - and £100,000 - pursuing listed building consent to destroy the Piano Building.

Managing director Chris Dalzell said: "We are investing £35 million into the regeneration of

Kidderminster town centre and are disappointed that a lobby group which represents a small minority of the community has prevented the development of one of the key elements in this scheme.

"We remain committed to delivering a cinema to the people of Kidderminster and are willing to invest additional time and money applying for permission to demolish a listed building if that is what they still want."

He added: "But the question must be asked - are we doing the right thing?

"Does the town of Kidderminster want a state-of-the-art six-screen cinema or an unfurnished, uneconomically viable, tired old building?" an artist's impression of the cinema that could replace it.

The issue has sparked heavy correspondence from both sides to the Shuttle/Times and News, with the civic society and supporters of the Piano Building insisting it is vital to preserve the town's remaining historic buildings, and that a viable use can be found for the structure.

Civic society spokesman Charles Talbot said: "The decision to list the building was that of the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister on evidence supplied to him by us, totally backed by English Heritage.

"Our view is that there should be a cinema but not there. Highstone Estates is an international property developing firm of high repute - £35 million is peanuts to them.

"It might cost them a couple of hundred thousand pounds to do something with the Piano Building but that's the sort of commercial risk they're used to taking."

Originally there were two rival cinema plans - for Crossley Park and the Piano Building - and it looked like a two-horse race when both were given planning permission by the district council.

But the Government called in the Crossley Park scheme as the associated Woolworths store breached planning guidelines for the site, designated for bulky goods. The delay meant B and Q scrapped the plan.

Computer store PC World and DIY specialist The Range are set to open on the Crossley Park former B and Q site in the summer - meaning there is now absolutely no chance of a cinema being put there.

And the popcorn was put well and truly on hold when an appeal by Kidderminster Civic Society led to the Piano Building - named due to its appearance from the air - being given Grade II listed status last month shortly before demolition was due to begin.

Putting the cinema inside the Piano Building would be impossible, say experts.

Plans for the 25,000sq ft cinema, approved prior to the listing, are available for the public to view at Wyre Forest District Council's offices at Land Oak House, Chester Road, Kidderminster.

Highstone bosses insist the success of any application will rest on the level of public support and are keen to know if they have the full backing of the community.

They say it will be "difficult, but not impossible" to get consent to knock down the Piano Building - and will press on if Shuttle/Times and News readers demand it in sufficient numbers.

Surveys and petitions have been carried out by cinema campaigners - but they count for nothing now.

Our independent, impartial poll is the only one that can make a difference.

So this is your chance to have your say - and the more responses we get, the more representative the verdict.

Shuttle/Times and News comment...

THE fate of the Piano Building and the yearning for a cinema has set conservationists and film buffs on a collision course.

And arguments on both sides of this unfortunate debate are valid.

Kidderminster has been without a cinema for more than 20 years and the need is not in question.

At a time when Kidderminster is moving forward with an exciting modern development, it is madness the town cannot be part of the nationwide boom in cinema-going.

But the Piano Building is one of the all-too-few remnants of the town's proud carpet heritage - and for some it is a sacrifice too far.

Ironically, its importance has increased due to the abject failure of town leaders who have allowed architectural euthanasia over the years.

However, we are told the construction of the 19th century wool warehouse means it is physically impossible to convert it into a modern cinema.

We should never have reached the situation where it is Piano Building VERSUS a cinema. It should be Piano Building AND a cinema.

But unless planners can conjure up an alternative site, that is the situation we find ourselves in - and there can be only one winner.

Next week we will be bringing the detailed views of the developer which wants to flatten the Piano Building and the civic society which wants to save it.

This referendum gives Highstone the chance to gauge the feelings in Wyre Forest which has been in cinema limbo for far too long.

When the result is known we will endeavour to bring together the civic society, Highstone and developer Centros Miller to try and work out an agreed way forward.

You will be able to cast your vote at any time before May 15.

The voting form will be printed in the next three issues of the Shuttle/Times and News.