Plans for a cinema in the basement of the former Debenhams building in Bury St Edmunds have been approved.

Bury WM Unit Trust's plans for an Everyman cinema – including four screens and a smaller private hire screen, with a total of 306 seats – were approved by West Suffolk Council yesterday (August 19).

The cinema would also include a bar/restaurant and would be open from 7.30am to 2:30am from Monday to Sunday including bank holidays.

The Debenhams store in the Arc shopping centre closed its doors last May.

Meanwhile, Bury WM Unit Trust has agreed a deal with an unnamed retailer to take over the ground and first floors of the building. An acoustic assessment performed as part of the planning process for the cinema project makes reference to Primark as the as yet unconfirmed retailer.

The planning, design and access statement for the project, prepared by MWA planning on behalf of Bury WM Unit Trust outlined the benefits that they say the cinema will bring to the town, stating: "It will promote the vitality and viability of the town centre, by securing a leisure and entertainment use within the Primary Shopping Area.

"It will make effective use of previously developed land within Bury St Edmunds town centre consistent with its role and function.

"It will enable the introduction of a new cinema operator extending choice and convenience.

"A total of 15 full and 15 part-time jobs will be created, Everyman adopting a policy of recruiting within the local community."

However, there has been some backlash to the plans.

Neighbours have expressed over the noise impact of the plans, parking issues caused by the new venture and concerns over how the new cinema would affect others in the town.

The town council also objected to the plans – welcoming the idea of the building being brought back into use but expressing concern over noise and "excessive" opening hours.

However, an acoustic report submitted with the plans indicated that noise levels would not have any substantial impact on neighbours.