Designs for Halstead’s former Savoy cinema have been revealed with the site set to be turned into a shop and six flats.

Vaio Pak investments Ltd is awaiting approval from Braintree Council on its plans for the external appearance of the Savoy, Trinity Street.

Planning permission, for the six flats and a commercial unit, has already been granted but a decision now has to be made on the appearance of the site and the finer details.

The latest plans reveal the bright colours on the front of the building, which shoppers and residents have mixed feelings about, will be washed away and replaced with a white finish in keeping with the cinema’s original appearance.

New windows and doors will be installed on the bottom floor and the Savoy name will also be on display once again.

Halstead Gazette:

The building's colourful look has frustrated many residents for a long time

Decorative work will not start externally until the inside of the building has been successfully converted into flats.

Doubts had been raised about whether the conversion of the Savoy would ever happen when PJP Installations Ltd, who were granted outline planning permission to convert it into flats back in 2014, put the building up for sale last year.

However Vaio Pak Investments Ltd took on the project in 2017 and submitted a similar planning application for the building, in order to extend the expiry date on the planning permission to 2020.

Robert Light of ADA Architects, said: “The intention is to restore the building to how it was originally.

“Whatever happens, it will look a lot better than it does at the moment.”

The Savoy was redecorated with bright colours back in 2009.

The building had been used as a child’s play area but has remained empty since 2014.

Councillor Jackie Pell, who has been critical of the building’s appearance in the past, said: “The building is in a conservation area so it deserves a lot better.

“I will be very pleased to see it restored to its former glory.

“When it becomes flats it needs to be able to attract people to live there so sorting out the appearance should be a priority.”