THE man behind plans to rejuvenate Colchester’s old Odeon cinema has insisted his is the only viable scheme.

Ross Carroll, of developer Amdev 101, last week applied for planning permission to convert the building into three shops and seven apartments.

Although the former cinema would be partly demolished, the Thirties Art Deco facade, which dominates Crouch Street, would be preserved. If the go-ahead is given, work could start as soon as this autumn.

Mr Carroll is also working on a second phase to the £14million project – building a four-storey block of 36 apartments on land behind the cinema.

See Monday's Gazette for the full story.