Crystal Palace Local

PLANS TO HOLD RELIGIOUS SERVICES UNVEILED

Kingsway International Christian Centre are set to open up in the former cinema at 25 Church Road and hold religious services there.

The bombshell news was revealed at last night's (Thursday)  meeting of Upper Norwood Improvement Team.

"They will be having services and bussing people in because their congregation is from far away" Croydon district centre manager Sharon Baldwin told the meeting at the Queen's hotel on Church Road. Her comments came following meetings she had earlier this month with the KICC committee.

KICC's move come despite a refusal by a Bromley council planning committee refusal to grant planning permission to turn it into a church - amid a massive public outcry from residents and traders who want to see the former cinema returned to its original use. KICC announced last year they would not be appealing against the refusal.

"They are saying they will have family-friendly films, a bookshop and coffee shop and allow the hall to be used by local community groups.

"They believe what they are proposing does not require a change of use. I've suggested they should approach people locally and discuss it with them and show what they want to do."

After the meeting Sharon Baldwin said the KICC committee had been to see her to talk generally about what they do. I wanted a kind of general meeting with them and they brought up the Crystal Palace site.

"We had a very frank and open discussion about the challenges they face and have faced.

"They showed me some of their ideas for the site and I've suggested they come up with a plan to invite local residents and groups to view their plan so they can be fully aware of what's going on.

"Hopefully it was the start of building some dialogue with them." she added.