Regent Cinema Demolition Heads to Court

Undaunted by the Queensland Heritage Council's rejection of an application to widen its coverage of the Regent Cinema, Brisbane's Save the Regent Cinema campaign is to continue its fight against the development proposal by Brookfield Multiplex to build a 40-storey office tower on the historic site.
Originally opened in 1929 as a theatre, the Regent Theatre's entrance and main staircase were added to Queensland's heritage register in 1992 - the original theatre having been demolished in 1979 and rebuilt as a cinema.
Queensland Heritage Council Chairman David Eades said the heritage council had rejected the application covering what he described as "Cinema One and the associated bar area."
In a statement issued Eades explained "unlike the Regent's entrance foyer and grand staircase which was entered in the register in 1992, the cinema and bar do not meet the criteria for heritage listing.
"The cinema and bar were built in 1978-80 and decorated with replicas and some parts salvaged from the Regent's demolition.
"Although the cinema conjures up some of the style of the original Regent, it doesn't come close to the scale, atmosphere and flamboyance of what Brisbane lost nearly 30 years ago."
The application was lodged in May 2009.
Save the Regent spokeswoman Vicki Bridgstock said the group was appealing the development application through the Planning and Environment Court.
Brisbane City Council originally wanted to protect the four cinemas and to approve the Brookfield Multiplex development for a 38-storey building.
In May 2009, the State Government ruled against this original application, added two further storeys to the development and cleared the way for a 'weekend-only' cinema.
This was subsequently approved by Brisbane City Council.
The new complex will be home to the Pacific Film and Television Corporation, the Brisbane International Film Festival and the Asia Pacific Screen Awards.