A separate planning application for internal works at a historic Scottish cinema has been lodged.

It comes after the filmhouse, saved from administration, had an external screen refused and said the contingency plan is in place.

Plans for Edinburgh Filmhouse on Lothian Road include a complete refit and the addition of a fourth screen.  

An applicant’s support statement for the joint application said: "At the end of the day it becomes a decision of what is best for Edinburgh, approve listed building consent and consent to display an advertisement to ensure a thriving revitalised Filmhouse with an external screen to provide advertising revenue helping to secure the sustainability of the Filmhouse or refuse listed building consent and consent to display an advertisement and throw the future of the Filmhouse into doubt."

The screen was refusedThe screen was refused (Image: Edinburgh Filmhouse) Permission for the external advertising screen has just been refused a second time.

Ginnie Atkinson, chair of Filmhouse (Edinburgh) Limited, said that "the Filmhouse renovation project is not in question" and that it has lodged a further application, which has recently become publicly available on the council's planning portal.

She added: "To be clear, the internal works listed building consent, which is our main concern, is covered in a separate application submitted on September 17 which was a contingency, in case the combined application was refused, as it has just been.

"Filmhouse (Edinburgh) Ltd have had no indication that the internal works are contentious and we hope the planning officers can deal with the application as soon as the process allows."


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The independent cinema opened in 1979 in a former Presbyterian Church but closed in 2022 following the collapse of umbrella company Centre for the Moving Image.

A campaign to save it was backed by actors including Ewen Bremner and Brian Cox.

Edinburgh Filmhouse awarded £1.5 million in funding from the UK Government. The new company, Filmhouse (Edinburgh) Ltd, has charitable status.