Redevelopment of an arts and entertainment venue in Cork city centre looks set to take place, after conditional planning permission was granted to demolish the existing Kino Cinema.

The proposal for 21 Washington Street including the laneway west of 23 Washington Street and to the side of Litt and Gravel Lane, will see the construction of a new ground floor art house consisting of cinema and performing arts space, to facilitate art house movies and small performing arts events.

A café and bar facility will also be included as part of this.

Kino owner Philip O’Connor has also been granted permission for a 17-bed student accommodation residence overhead the venue. He proposed that it would also be used as tourist or visitor accommodation outside of the academic term. A rooftop garden terrace is also included in the proposal.

There was one submission made to Cork City Council on the development, which highlighted potential overshadowing issues, and who also said that due to the nature of student accommodation, “there will be a strong possibility of mis-use and inappropriate anti-social behaviour taking place in this area, which will be detrimental to the neighbouring residents and amenities of the area.” Cork City Council have given the green light to the proposal subject to 26 conditions, including that no amplified music take place at the venue past midnight.

The Kino closed its doors as an independent cinema in 2009. Since then the venue has continued to operate as an arts venue.