Kingsway International Christian Centre (KICC) have applied for planning permission to change the former Gala Bingo club in Upper Norwood to a Church.   The club a victim of Gala's financial problems was acquired by the KICC who are based in Wimbledon.

Protestors claim thats the area has greatly suffered since the clubs closure and would like to see the site converted to a cinema instead and have branded the updated proposals as arrogant and unneighbourly.  They claim the revised plans could see more roads swallowed up by parked cars.

The Christian organisation want to move their church in Upper Norwood.  They believe thir plans will help the community in terms of spiritual development, with programs that will aid the local residents by providing trainings and counseling.  For financial reasons in terms of jobs and revenues residents are against the plans and are appealing to the government to put up something that will aid them financially.  The closing of the Gala Bingo club in Upper Norwood made a big impact to the local community since a lot of residents in the area used to work for the club.

Bromley Council, which is considering the application, has asked for details of how a conversion to a church would impact the traffic.

It is suggested that a church would increase the number of roads it would need for parking by seven.

Annabel Sidney, the cinema campaign spokeswoman, says the area is already clogged-up without the extra cars the church would bring.

"This arrogance just beggars belief," she said.


"Crystal Palace has a limited amount of parking spaces.  For those spaces to be taken up by an organisation that doesn't have a foundation in the community is unbelievable.

"Residents are concerned that the only way forward will be residents' parking permits but that involves a cost.

And Miss Sidney says residents are as united in their opposition as ever.

"It's an issue that's touched the whole community," she said.

"It's a make or break situation.

"We have shops closing and the footfall is declining.  We need to rejuvenate the area and we believe a cinema would do that.