Well, the REX has been cordoned off ready for the re-development of the site.

Residents will have received a leaflet from the REX Trust (it doesn’t actually say who, but we will assume that’s who) suggesting that they will make an offer for the building and turn it into a viable cinema/arts centre.

They have come across the biggest problem that objectors to any proposal find it difficult to grasp. The legislation is an enabling one - not planning. The local planning authority only can consider objections from interested parties, such as the town council and local residents, and consider the application according to the rules.

These do not include design, finish, use or, indeed most other things that get up peoples noses. The council has to be very aware that applicants can object to any decision that goes against them, whereas objectors have no such rights. It is of course relevant that fighting appeals cost money - our money and officers work hard (ish) to negotiate design and many other matters in order to make each development acceptable.

The government issues things called PPG’s which provide guidelines to planning authorities when dealing with applications and it is a brave council which ignores these guidelines. The problem is that developers also has access to these documents and stretch the guides to the limit, but that is democracy.

As I was saying before being interrupted, the leaflet suggests that the only organisation which can run a profitable cinema is the trust and that not all is lost. Why does ‘Town Hall’ keep springing to mind?