PLANS to build a new £6.5million eight-screen cinema on the site of the former Waves Water Fun Centre look set to be approved.

The application, which was lodged earlier this year after approval by executive board in 2017, is set to go before members of the Blackburn with Darwen planning and highways committee when they meet next week.

The new cinema on the Nab Lane site will include two food and drink outlets together with a bar.

Developed by the council, the new cinema will be leased to Reel Cinema, which has a site in Burnley, a major independent operator owned by Kailash Chander ‘KC’ Suri and will be leased for a minimum of 20 years.

Senior planning officer Alec Hickey has recommended that the application be approved.

Waves swimming complex closed in 2015 after 29 years when the new Blackburn Sports and Leisure Centre opened its doors, with the one-acre site off Feilden Street becoming a car park.

The cinema will also include a 100-space underground car park, retained by the council, which would be free for film-goers and bring extra car parking capacity to the town centre.

It is intended that the car park will attract further commercial operators to the town and help the revival of King George’s Hall as a venue.

In addition, it will boast the town centre’s first electric vehicle charging points, ten in total.

Council bosses hope the new independent cinema will complements the borough’s plans for the Northgate regeneration quarter, which includes the Blakey Moor and the Fabric Border projects that were announced by the council late last year.

It is planned the new development would open by the end of 2019, should approval be granted.

Unveiling the plans earlier this year, Cllr Phil Riley, the council’s executive member for regeneration, said: “This new cinema development will draw residents into the town centre and will play a part in improving the town centre economy.

“This has been a huge priority for the council and I’m delighted that over the past year it has gone from strength to strength, including improvements in the night-time economy. This will play a key role in the regeneration of the town centre and will boost economic growth.”

The committee will meet at the town hall on Thursday at 6pm.