The KICC's application for change of use of the only D2 (entertainment) venue in town to be made into the 17th D1(religious or health centres), was heard and turned down because the aspirations for the use of the venue contravened National, London and local planning policies.

This latest proposal to increase audience capacity and use the building as a music venue will also need to go through due process in order to get a license to operate. An application will need to be made and the local community and police will be consulted before the licensing authority decide. Fortunately it is not simply a matter of they can do what they like cos they own it.

However all this could have been avoided if there were some sort of public body to oversee the flogging of public landmarks and buildings to ensure that they remain within public service and do not fall into the hands of corporate companies, commercial or religious. What has happened here is a fine example of how key public facilities (parks or buildings) are vulnerable when left to the hands of market forces eg the only public entertainment venue in town is taken out of general, local, community use with the intention of opening it up to a large external congregation from a huge catchment area (Home Counties, South West & East London). City Screens would have served the existing community by creating a new D2 use, cinema, on the High Street and that would have had a regenerative affect on shops and restaurants.

The venue has no parking. The KICC congregants are notorious for high car useage. To cater for this he KICC have drawn up a target parking zone, all residential roads within an 800m radius. Well good luck to them, because I know what it's like to park round here and I can't imagine where the fleets of cars bringing the thousands of "concert" goers are going to park. The best will in the world, or even the almighty himself, will not be able to magic up a space round this neck of the Great North Woods for love nor money!