Fife town gets new community cinema

Fife councillors have approved the development of a new  cinema in a former ironmongers on New Row in the heart  of Dunfermline.

The Dunfermline Community Cinema project will move into the building as part of the Alhambra Theatre Trust’s application.

It will also be home to a new theatre stage school  currently being developed, and a cafe and bar.

The cinema will seat 80 on ground level with plans to install an upper gallery to accommodate a further 30.

A wrought iron gate, measuring about 5.9 metres high, will be installed as a main entrance point to the developmen,t and certain areas of the building will be finshed with lime rendering as a nod to its historical past.

The development will also see the addition of a pedestrian footpath running through the site and the installation of Juliet balconies, new windows and doors.

The new development hopes to regenerate and preserve the historical building and conservation area.

The current property which falls within a conservation area has been vacant for 10 years and is included on the Buildings at Risk Register for Scotland.

At yeterday’s Central and West planning committee, Cllr. Helen Law spoke in support of the application “It is a great opportunity for this long vacant building to come back into use.

“It’s quite a phenomenal building and it would be ashame to lose it.

“A theatre school would be a welcome addition to the many opportunities for young folk in Dunfermline.

“Recent consultations with the wider community have had a desire for a community cinema in the town centre so that’s really very welcome, and an important step forward to get this building back into use. ”

Cllr. Ian Ferguson raised concerns over plans for certain aspects of the building, adding:  “I’m at a loss as to how we are protecting the conservation area.

“The installation of not strictly historically accurate windows is viewed as not significant in the context of the overall proposal.

“Other towns have the capacity to build new distinctive unique and interesting buildings. I see Dunfermline as being blessed with a history that already means that it is distinct unique and interesting- we need to protect that.”

The plans were approved by Fife council with conditions which included the promise of preserving the general historical nature of the building.