Central Cinema 29 Abbey Road Torquay TQ2 5NQ Data via plota.co.uk

P/2026/0570 - Variation of Condition Application Registered
Admin / proceduralCommercial premises

Proposal

Variation of Conditions relating to application : Change of use from cinema to theatre, community art centre and office space with accompanying alterations. Conditions: P1 - Approved Plans, 01 - Materials. Variation sought: Retention of existing material on main roof, and use of artificial slate on lower roofs, to maintain harmony of appearance. Data via plota.co.uk

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View original council record ↗Last checked

Application progress

✓
Received
9 Sept 2026
✓
Consultation
24 Sept 2026
Decision
Expected by 4 Nov 2026

Under consideration

No decision has been issued yet. A decision is expected by 4 Nov 2026.

Comments are open until 15 Oct 2026

Comment on this application ↗

Documents

View the documents on the council's website ↗

Associated applications 2

  • Part of

    FullApprovedcouncil archive

    Conditions 1 variation sought

    • VariationVariation of Conditions - Change of use from cinema to theatre, community art centre…This applicationP/2026/0570

Site constraints 7

Flood zone 3, rivers and sea
High chance: a 1 in 100 or greater annual chance from rivers, or 1 in 200 from the sea. Any development here needs a flood risk assessment. Defences are not counted.
The Environment Agency flood map for planning. Homes in zone 3 must also pass the sequential test. Surface water flooding is a separate map.
Flood map ↗
Abbey Road conservation area
Demolition needs planning permission and permitted development is restricted.
The council must give weight to preserving or enhancing the area's character and appearance. Not every council has published its boundaries as open data.
Council document ↗
Public footpath 19 m away
Matters where it crosses or adjoins the site: obstructing a path without a diversion order is an offence, and work cannot start until the order is confirmed.
Compiled from highway authority data, not the legal definitive map. A few authorities have not published, so no path shown is not proof there is none.
14 listed buildings within 150 m
Nearest: Former Falcon Public House, Grade II, 9 m away · 14 Grade II
The site itself is not listed. Listed building consent is needed for work that affects the special interest of a listed building, inside or out, on top of planning permission. Setting can be a consideration for buildings nearby; there is no fixed radius.
Show all 14 with distances
Historic England ↗
Also on the record
Radon affected area, class 4; Special area of conservation 459 m away: Lyme Bay and Torbay; Inside the Torquay built-up area.
Not affected
Not green belt · No scheduled monument at the site

Checked on 6 October 2026. Historic England, the Environment Agency, Natural England, the British Geological Survey and UK Health Security Agency (radon, contains BGS materials © UKRI) and council datasets, Open Government Licence. A boundary can run through a site and the council holds the definitive record: confirm with the council before relying on this.

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Other new applications on this street

18 Aug 2026Pending

31 Abbey Road Torquay TQ2 5NQ

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Important details

Council
Torbay
Application type
Variation of Condition Application
Postcode
TQ2 5NQ
Received
9 Sept 2026
Validated
9 Sept 2026
Ward
Tormohun
Case officer
Show
Decision level
Delegated
Applicant
Show
Agent
Show
Freehold owner
Show

Public comments

No public comments yet.

33 neighbours consulted · Last counted 6 Oct 2026

Read the comments on the council site ↗

Consultation & key dates

Alt. reference
PP-15213542
Planning Portal ref
PP-15213542
Comments by
15 Oct 2026
Site or press notice
24 Sept 2026
Env. assessment
No

Historical activity at this location

23 previous applications on record - archival context, not part of the live application.

This property

Previous applications at this address

2022 Approved
Change of use from cinema to theatre, community art centre and office space with accompan…
P/2022/0731
Within ~100m

Nearby activity

2025 Refused
50 Abbey Road Torquay TQ2 5NH
Certificate of lawfulness for existing: use as 5no. self-contained flats (Use Class C3).
P/2025/0574
2024 Refused
36 Abbey Road Torquay TQ2 5NH
Replacement of roof and formation of loft conversion with two pitched roof dormers to fro…
P/2024/0848
2024 Approved
The Granary Rear Of 8 Abbey Road Torquay TQ2 5NA
Certificate of Lawfulness for established use as a dwelling.
P/2024/0423
2023 Approved
6 Abbey Road Torquay TQ2 5NA
Rear garden - T1 - Multi stemmed Sycamore dismantle to near ground level. Self set sycamo…
AT/2023/0028
2023 Approved
18 - 20 Union Street Torquay TQ2 5PL
Installation of 1 internally illuminated reto flex face sign with logo & 1 internally ill…
P/2023/0122
2022 Refused
18 - 20 Union Street Torquay TQ2 5PL
Variation of Condition relating to application P/2021/0778. Condition: P1 - Approved Plan…
P/2022/1156
2022 Approved
18 - 20 Union Street Torquay TQ2 5PL
Variation of Conditions relating to P/2021/0778.
P/2022/0915
2021 Approved
18 - 20 Union Street Torquay TQ2 5PL
Change of use and conversion of existing offices to 2 one bed apartments at first floor a…
P/2021/0778
2021 Withdrawn
Berwyn House 70 - 72 Abbey Road Torquay TQ2 5NH
T1 & T2 Prunus, by garden entrance to no.72 - Fell because of historical bad pruning and…
AT/2021/0325
2021 Approved
39 - 41 Union Street Torquay TQ1 1FA
Installation of free standing advertising unit (FSU), containing back to back digital dis…
P/2021/0405
2020 Approved
56 - 58 Abbey Road Torquay TQ2 5NQ
Creation of three residential units within 56 Abbey Road. Change of use of 58 Abbey Road…
P/2020/1067
2021 Approved
Clipper Inn 14 Melville Street Torquay TQ2 5SZ
Change of use from Class A4 public house "Clipper Inn" to C3 residential property (retros…
P/2021/0141
2020 Approved
46 Union Street Torquay TQ2 5PW
Division of ground floor area to form retail unit and office unit. Formation of two flats…
P/2020/1205
2020 Approved
Land Adjacent To 46 Abbey Road Torquay TQ2 5NH
Installation of pole and associated apparatus.
P/2020/0912
2020 Withdrawn
Land Adjacent 55 Union Street Torquay TQ2 5QB
Installation of free-standing advertising unit containing integrated digital panel and in…
P/2020/0173
2020
51 Abbey Road Torquay TQ2 5NQ
Conversion of lower ground floor into two bedroom apartment.
P/2020/0521
2019 Approved
Abbey Road Chiropody Practice 66 Abbey Road Torquay TQ2 5NH
Change of use of ground floor, from Chiropody Surgery into a two bedroom self contained f…
P/2019/0273
2016 Approved
46 Abbey Road Torquay TQ2 5NH
Re arrange 5 x1 bedroom flats into 2 x 2 bedroom flats and 1x studio flat.
P/2016/0781
2017 Approved
46 Abbey Road Torquay TQ2 5NH
Change of use to formalise single residential status
P/2017/0704
2017 Refused
The Ice Bar 37 Abbey Road Torquay TQ2 5NQ
Rear decking/terrace to form a public smoking area
P/2017/0375
2016 Approved
50-52 Union Street Torquay TQ2 5PS
Change of use of GF from retail unit (A1) to licensed betting shop (Sui Generis) and new…
P/2016/0798
2016 Approved
Former Mouse Trap House 53A Abbey Road Torquay TQ2 5NQ
Change of use of ground floor to apartment
P/2016/0647
Torbay
Planning Authority Score
1.9/10
Poor
#276 of 296 councils
Relevant to this application:
Change of use

Torbay is one of the slowest councils in England for householder decisions, ranking #276 out of 296. 54% of applications have the time limit extended, above the 41% national average. Householder applications are slightly more likely to be approved here (90%) than the national average (90%).

Among the slowest councils in England
for householder decisions
These figures are council-wide context, not a prediction for this application. View full council performance
Torbay decision statistics
Based on MHCLG data, the year to March 2026
87%
Overall approval rate
Above avg (87%) #183 of 296
90%
Householder approved
Above avg (90%) #197 of 296
37%
Decided in 8 weeks
Below avg (63%) #276 of 296
54%
Extended time limit
Above avg (41%) #247 of 296
81%
Minor dwellings approved
53 decided (1-9 homes)
100%
Major dwellings approved
9 decided (10+ homes)
91%
Change of use approved
44 decided
529
Total decisions
68 refused in the year to March 2026
Source: MHCLG planning statistics · See full council rankings

Freehold boundary: © Crown copyright and database rights 2026, HM Land Registry. Polygons © Crown copyright and database rights 2026 Ordnance Survey 100026316. Conditions of use

Freehold owner: Information produced by HM Land Registry. © Crown copyright 2026. Source: HM Land Registry, UK and overseas companies that own property in England and Wales, September 2026 release.