Plans for old 1920s cinema in Weybridge to be part of global church movement approved

A global movement of local churches has found a new home in Weybridge Hall.

Elmbridge Borough Council sold Weybridge Hall to Equippers Church for £1.2m in November 2024.

Members of the council’s planning committee approved the scheme on June 10.

The venue on Church Street, in Weybridge, currently includes a vacant shop and community hall on the ground floor and a vacant four-bedroom flat across the second and third floors.

Equippers Church hopes to revamp the venue into an auditorium of around 400 seats, kitchen space near the foyer, and additional meeting rooms on the first, second and third floors for community and religious use.

Kath Wallace, who lives near the hall, said the decision “means we lose our peace and quiet and safe access to our road”.

Speaking on behalf of residents on Minorca Road running directly beside the hall, she said the proposal will significantly and negatively impact on residents from a noise disturbance, parking and traffic perspective.

Kath said: “We respectfully request the committee impose strict conditions on sound proofing, parking and hours of usage.”

Officers said noise conditions has been recommended to the scheme as the sound insulation was labelled as inadequate to modern standards.

The applicant also agreed to invest to safeguard residents from noise coming from playing music or holding services.

Paul Utley, speaking for the applicant, said it is “really important to us to be good neighbours” and “be an asset to the community”.

He insisted the site is open for all and will be operated by an “inclusive Church”.

Under the plans, Mr Utley explained, the main auditorium could be used by local schools and community groups when not in use by the church and multi-purpose studios on the upper floors would be available to hire.

Weybridge Cllr Judy Sarsbury said the high street “needs rejuvenation” and that Weybridge “needs the building to come alive again” to attract more people.

Other councillors also noted the building has just been “sitting there and deteriorating”.

Around 32 letters of objection were sent in against the scheme, arguing it should be kept as a community space to benefit the whole of Weybridge or should be used as a theatre of cinema.

But no theatre or performing arts group had offered to buy the building, the council said.

The venue, in Church Street, Weybridge in Surrey, had previously been granted permission to become a cinema with flats above it but the development never materialised.