Plans for a 145-unit aparthotel to replace Oxford’s Odeon cinema have been recommended for approval.
Marick Real Estate’s plans for the scheme to replace the 1930s-built cinema in George Street go before Oxford City Council’s planning committee on Wednesday, October 15. The Odeon’s lease on the council-owned 0.1-hectare site expired in September.
Under the proposals for full planning permission, the six-storey aparthotel, which will be operated under Staycity’s Wilde brand, will have a café, lounge, gym, laundry facilities and 24-hour reception. An existing sub-station and enclosure will remain. Apartments will be a mix of studios and one-bedroom units and each will have its own kitchen.
There will be a community space on the ground floor of the scheme to be operated by the Makespace Oxford charity.
The 1930s building, originally a single-screen Ritz Cinema, was later acquired by ABC. The interior was damaged by fire in 1963 and it was converted to three screens in 1975 and to six screens in 2000.
Planning documents state very little of the original 1930s cinema interior remains.
The team on the project includes Bidwells as planning consultant, Studio Moren on architecture and Paul Basham Associates on transport planning.
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