Welcome Guest [Log In] [Register]
Add Reply
Regent Theatre time line
Topic Started: Jun 9 2010, 09:09 PM (57 Views)
Steven Creamer
No Avatar

7 February 2008, Development application lodged with Brisbane City Council for new 38-story office tower and car park Regent Theater site. Plans lodged include two small function rooms and a large 230 seat function room accessed from heritage listed marble staircase.

February 2008, Regent becomes a local Government election issue:
Lord Mayor Campbell Newman was "vehemently opposed" to the development and refers to it as "Shingle Inn revisited". The Lord Mayor also mentioned: "Brisbane had lost too much of its heritage in recent years"(City News).

The Lord Mayor said he had requested records of conversations between developers and Council to "find out who it got this far"(Brisbane Times).

"Save the Regent" group formed to create public awareness about the loss of the Regent Theater and to fight against its destruction. The Save the Regent website was established to gain community support and keep people up to date with the Regent news and developments.

E-petition set up on parliamentary website to Save the Regent Theater. Over 1000 signatures collected.

On 24th of February 2008, Premier Anna Bligh stated: “Brisbane has already lost many of its icons including the Belle Vue Hotel in the city and Cloudland at Bowen Hills. I think the cultural history of our city is important and we have lost a lot of outs and we need to be careful before we lose another one. This really is one of the last pieces of the cultural history of early life in our city”( Courier-Mail 24-2-08).

On 29th February 2008, The State Government issues a ministerial mandate directive protecting the whole Regent complex including the non-heritage listing Showcase areas Elizabeth St facade.

March 2008, Support grows for “Save the Regent”. One STR Facebook group now has 2786 members, another has 1285, and a third group has 220. The main group would eventually have more than 3000 members
Lord Mayor Campbell Newman sends a letter to one of the STR members saying: “I can assure you that i am against the development that is proposed. Brisbane has lost too much of its prized heritage in recent decades, due to previous administrations not providing leadership.” (25 march 2008)

April 2008, entertainment entrepreneur Mike Walsh writes to Save the Regent (STR) group outlining his support for the Regent to be restored to a performance theatre venue: “I think that saving and restoring the Regent Theatre Brisbane is a great idea”.

May 2008 petition signing and display set up in Queen Street Mall by the STR group, providing awareness to public on loss of regent. Over 1000 signatures gathered for Save the Regent petition. Paper petition and e-petition with combined signatures of over 2500 tabled in State Parliament calling on the Government to save the Regent Theater.

June 2008, The Regent Theater was nominated as an “Icon of Brisbane we should never lose” in a recent Courier Mail Survey (June 21 2008).

10th September 2008, Premier Anna Bligh announces “exciting plans” for the Regent redevelopment, including two small auditoria and one slightly larger one for weekend – only movie screening.

September/ October 2008, Numerous submissions lodged with city council objecting to the Regent development

19 February 2009 then Minister for Planning and Infrastructure Paul Lucas replaced the original directive that protected the whole Regent complex with a new directive paving the way for Brisbane City Council to approve the development.

18th may Brisbane City Council fast tracks and approves the development application in a heated council meeting.

28th may heritage application lodged to Queensland Heritage Council for listing Showcase Cinema and bar areas of the Regent Complex.

30th July 2009 an appeal was lodged in the Planning & environment Court by STR requesting the city council approval be reviewed and if necessary dismissed under current application conditions.

9 August 2009, Last day of the Brisbane International Film Festival in the Regent Theatre. BIFF would now have to find a new venue after being at the Regent since its inception in 1992.

24 August 2009 Fiona Gardiner, Director, Cultural Heritage, Strategy and Policy Division, EPA, makes a recommendation to the Queensland Heritage Council (QHC) not to enter Regent Showcase areas, containing the last surviving elements of the Regent Theatre auditorium and mezzanine lounge, onto the State Hertiage Register.

17 November 2009 QHC decides not to enter Showcase areas onto the State Hertiage Register.

14 December 2009 Last of two mediation meeting between STR and the Regent Developers end in a stalemate. No compromise is reached to include the Showcase areas in the new development.

15 January 2010 A notice of two discontinuance is lodged with the Planning & Environment Court by STR. Court appeal is terminated.

14 June 2010, this will be the last showing of movies at the Regent Cinemas.

Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
1 user reading this topic (1 Guest and 0 Anonymous)
« Previous Topic · General Information · Next Topic »
Add Reply