The Chairman of the Society’s Planning Committee, and the members of the Committee for Stanley Ward (L) and Royal Hospital Ward (R) visited the site of the redevelopment of the cinema on 21st February 2020 by kind permission of the owners, Cadogan, and their main contractors, Wates. The redevelopment is expected to be completed in 2023.
When completed it will comprise a 400-seat cinema with two smaller cinemas, retail units and a pub on the Kings Road, retail units in Chelsea Manor St., and apartments and offices above. The apartments will be let by Cadogan on Assured Shorthold tenancies at market rents, save that five of them will be made available to RBKC for letting. The intention is to keep the Waitrose store open throughout, although it will be much smaller for several months.
The Committee were impressed by the efforts being made to reduce disturbance to local people by recycling most of the demolition-materials on site instead of transporting them out in heavy trucks and bringing new materials in. They will also be using the least noisy form of piling, and are doing noisy work during limited hours on weekdays only. They have an apprenticeship scheme, and they allow employees time off during working hours to help in community projects.
We will make another visit in six months time.
