Building owner Versatyle Ltd’s application last year for the vacant B-listed Art Deco building included a first-floor cinema with nearly 500 seats.

Under the plans, ground floor space would be turned into a concert hall with a separate entrance and capacity for 1,000 people standing, 800 sitting and 700 around tables.

A 90-seat restaurant would be situated on the ground floor, also with a separate entrance, plus a 30-seat cafeteria.

The applicant has now submitted appeals arguing that it could address the issues raised by the council’s rejection of the proposal and listed building application.

The listed building decision notice issued by planners said there were various “inappropriate alterations” which would “detrimentally impact on the special interest and appearance” of the building.

These included the loss of original entrance gates and the formation of new doors flush with the building line; removal of existing doors and stairs, and the introduction of a full height masonry partition in the foyer; and addition of roller shutters on the east elevation.

Regarding the proposed uses of the building, the planning department feared “potentially significant increase in noise and disturbance which would harmfully impact on the amenity of neighbouring residential properties”.

They added that the absence of “suitable servicing arrangements for the proposed concert use, has the potential to impact significantly on residential amenity of adjacent flats at anti-social hours.”

Sufficient measures to treat and disperse cooking odours were also said to be absent from the plans.