Athlone cinema expansion gets final go-ahead

Plans for a revamp of Athlone's IMC Cinema, which include increasing its number of screens from six to ten, have been given final planning approval by An Bord Pleanala.

The board rejected an appeal against the plans from OKR Group, on behalf of the Burger King restaurant in the Golden Island Shopping Centre.

It means that the local cinema is now due to be expanded and redeveloped to provide customers with a "luxury cinema experience".

While the number of screens is set to be increased to ten, the installation of new, large-format seating means the overall number of seats in the cinema is to remain the same as today (821 seats).

A report submitted as part of the planning application said the work would allow for "a greater film offering and alternative content such as Met Opera Live, etc.

"In addition, Galactic screens (large-format screens) and VIP screens will enhance the customer offering," it said.

Some 30 car parking spaces will be removed to make way for the cinema expansion, with 33 new spaces being created instead in a former loading bay to the south of the existing car park.

A new restaurant is also planned as part of the cinema development. This will be managed by the owners of the Golden Island Shopping Centre, and no specific tenant for it has been identified as yet.

Initial planning approval was granted by Westmeath County Council earlier this year, but was then appealed to An Bord Pleanala.

The appeal, on behalf of Burger King, argued that a re-alignment of the car park would restrict access by delivery trucks to the service yard located behind its restaurant.

It said delivery trucks and vans would be forced to stop in the car park area, resulting in obstructions to traffic, and goods having to be "hand-delivered over long distances."

The planning board turned down the appeal but imposed some new development conditions on Cinema Properties Ltd, the company behind the plans for the project.

The An Bord Pleanala inspector's report felt that "new contemporary frontage" planned for the cinema building would significantly improve the attractiveness of the shopping centre, which was "very dated and introverted in (its) external expression."

The inspector said there was an element of "chaos" to the current traffic circulation around the cinema and Burger King, and that the plans could help "address current issues" and provide "a safer environment for all users" of this area.

Conditions imposed on the development include that all building work must be carried out between 8am and 7pm, Mondays to Fridays, from 8am to 2pm on Saturdays, and not at all on Sundays or public holidays.

The Westmeath Independent contacted senior management at IMC Cinemas for a comment on the planning decision but we have not received a response at the time of writing.