Council considers legal action over The Point

A council has revealed it is considering legal action over a decision to demolish a historic cinema.

Milton Keynes City Council had refused permission for Galliard Holdings Ltd to replace The Point, the first American-style multiplex cinema in the UK, with 487 flats in four tall buildings.

The authority had been concerned the design did not reflect the glass pyramid building, but inspectors sided with the developers after an appeal.

Peter Marland, Labour leader of the council, said: "I am most annoyed by the fact that the inspector gives almost no consideration to the heritage or culture of Milton Keynes."

He claimed the council asked the developers to include The Point's red pyramid frame but they had not listened.

Galliard has been approached for comment.

The inspector had described a suggestion the new buildings incorporate part of the pyramid's red frame as "tokenised" which Marland said was "outrageous".

He continued: "I doubt [that] if this was a proposal to demolish a cultural landmark near some Regency-era listed buildings we would see the same snobbish attitude.

"A generation of people, often the first generation to be born in Milton Keynes, grew up with The Point being the symbol of the city, and that is every bit as valid as what the Liver Buildings mean to the people of Liverpool or St Paul's to Londoners.

"Different, but every bit as valid".

The Point opened in 1985 and was an attempt by the US company AMC to bring American-style cinema to UK audiences.

In the planning appeal the inspector noted: "it was the first of a number of multiplex cinemas planned in the UK".

Inside were 10 screens, a number of restaurants, a disco and a bingo hall.

It closed in 2015 and despite many campaigns to save the building or find a new use, it has not reopened.

Marland concluded: "We understand the current building is no longer fit for purpose and more could be done with the site, but this proposal is terrible in almost every single way.

"No affordable homes, bad design, identikit flats and dismissive of the cultural importance of the current building to the people of this city."

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