Harlow Council completes purchase of former Odeon site
News / Tue 12th May 2026 at 08:01am
HARLOW Council has completed the purchase of the former Odeon site, paving the way for its full redevelopment as part of the rebuild of Harlow town centre.
The old cinema has stood empty for years and has become, for many residents, a visible symbol of the town centre’s decline. Following the council’s announcement on 17 March, work has now been completed to finalise the acquisition. The council has secured the site at market value, bringing it into council ownership and enabling its long-awaited regeneration.
The council will redevelop the site, with more detailed plans set to be released in the coming weeks.
The acquisition marks another significant step in the council’s wider regeneration programme for the town centre, which is already under construction across several sites including the Bus Station, Market Square and Playhouse Square.
The purchase forms part of a coordinated programme of acquisitions and agreements to address the fragmented land ownership that has long held back redevelopment of the town centre. These include Terminus House, The Rows, Market House, Adams House and the Harvey Centre, as well as an agreement on the Strawberry Star site. Further acquisitions are expected.
Announcing the completion of the purchase, Councillor Dan Swords, Leader of Harlow Council, said:
“For years, the old Odeon has stood derelict – empty, decaying, and a symbol of the town centre’s decline. That ends now.
“With the site now under council control, we can move forward at pace with its redevelopment as part of the biggest regeneration programme of any district council in the UK.
“We are rebuilding our town centre from the ground up – with construction already underway and more to come. Residents can see the change happening, and we are determined to keep up momentum.
“This is about delivery – getting sites under control, getting development moving, and getting results for Harlow. We’re not waiting for change. We’re Building Harlow’s Future.”
jarrett
2026-05-12 08:26:19
How much and from whom.
I’ll do that Billy
2026-05-12 09:35:18
Jarrett. Who cares it has stood as a symbol of the town centre’s and wider perceived decline of Harlow for years and years. Let’s go forward for goodness sake progression, improvement and regeneration.
John Galajsza
2026-05-12 09:43:34
Well done Dan Swords it’s been a long time coming onward and upward your doing a great job
Seamus
2026-05-12 10:26:56
It has been in one person's/family hands since it's been closed as was the building behind it, which I remember it being called the paradise club. It's been a stubborn owner refusing to sell so if you genuinely have the old odeon, do you own the other property on that block? Of course this would not have been inculded in the original development plan and financing so it's not unreasonable to ask, have you bought the two properties, how much and how was it funded? The biggest concern I have is the council purchasing properties just to sell them to developers who then build nothing but high rise flats and with hardly any of those flats going to social housing. Clarity on this would help Harlow residents see the plans for the future and feel involved in it.
Paul
2026-05-12 10:27:01
And just what was the market value?
Tom Compton
2026-05-12 10:43:16
This is another great example of our local council getting on with making the town a better place. Whilst other parties focused upon the national agenda, the Harlow Conservatives focused upon improving Harlow and telling the compelling story of what success they have had to date. I am aware of a number of staunch Labour supporters voting locally for the Conservatives because they are positively improving Harlow. I look forward to seeing what will be done with this purchased building as it has so much potential. Well done Harlow Council.
Lez
2026-05-12 10:56:20
How much did it cost to buy this
Jac
2026-05-12 13:08:49
Who cares what the market value was it has been purchased and can now be sorted out and not just left to deteriorate well done to Dan and his team for making a difference and finally trying to make the town look and feel better.
Fan of Dan the Man
2026-05-12 15:17:29
Dan the Man doing good work! We trust him to make town nice again.
I care.
2026-05-12 15:55:32
Everyone should care. We have a right to know how much was paid, and where that money will be coming from. Whether or not it is for the town's best, which of course it is, as the building had been left to rot, is not the question. It can be a great thing, but it still needs to be open and transparent. Especially when the building in question has been held to ransom for some years, we have a right to know what ransom was paid.
Norm
2026-05-12 17:53:13
What will it become? Or maybe it's easier to ask, how many flats will it become?
Gary
2026-05-12 18:44:07
Hi Seamus, as far as I recall the Paradise Club was the other side of Fifth Avenue from Sainsbury’s. Ironically, I think it’s owned by the son of Mo, the longtime owner of the Odeon site. The property behind the Odeon has been various things over the years, it was Polekatz lap dancing club about twenty years ago and the downstairs was a cab office. I also remember the upstairs was a gym in the early to mid ‘80s and the downstairs was a printing company. Because Mo would talk to me whilst I worked out there and even offered me a job as manager of the printers, as I’d told him I worked in the print. Even though I was just 18 and only half way through my apprenticeship. I think that Mo has held out from selling for years and always wanted top dollar, which is why it’s sat empty for so long. I can’t help but wonder if he’s died and the family just wanted to get shot of the site. Hopefully the council will now do something that benefits the town and not just sell out to a greedy developer as someone else pointed out, which is precisely what happened with the Square.
Seamus
2026-05-12 23:16:52
Thanks for the correction Gary. I remember the gym and the odeon were both linked and had held up regeneration for decades.
Kevin
2026-05-13 12:21:45
Fantastic news, now knock it down ASAP Well done
Eileen Dover
2026-05-13 23:55:10
To regenerate a building, you must first own it. At last that family have acquiesced and now the phoenix can rise from the ashes. Funding is from the £1.3 billion Harlow & Gilston Garden Town project (why do most locals not know this? They frequently ask the same question about funding, repeatedly!).
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