FILM buffs in Chester could see the city’s last remaining cinema closed if a multi-million pound extension to Broughton Shopping Park gets the go-ahead.

The owners of the retail park in Flintshire, British Land, hope to build an 11-screen Cineworld cinema and five restaurants at the site – creating 235 jobs.

It is expected that the London-based landowners will submit a planning application to Flintshire County Council in the next few weeks – but if it is approved the existing six-screen Cineworld on Greyhound Retail Park, Chester, will close when its lease expires in 2015.

Cineworld national operations manager Shaun Jones told the Chronicle that the plan was for the new cinema at Broughton Shopping Park, which would boast full digital technology, to open in February 2015.

He said: “Assuming all goes to plan, permission is granted and there are no major hiccups we are looking to see the (Flintshire) cinema open in February 2015.

“The lease in Chester is up for renewal in 2015.

“This (Flintshire) will open and that (Chester) will close.”

If the Broughton Park cinema gets the green light bosses are hoping to incorporate state-of-the-art D-Box simulator seating into the new facility.

The seats, which are designed to enhance the cinematic experience of the audience, have already been a big hit in Cineworld branches in Glasgow and Didsbury.

“The seats move with the film,” added Mr Jones. “We were the first cinema chain in the UK to use this technology and it has been very successful.”

On May 10 the Chronicle reported that Cheshire West and Chester Council has agreed to sell a plot of land next to Cineworld in Chester for £5.77m, subject to planning permission.

A council spokesman confirmed talks were taking place with a property company that wants to build a supermarket on the Greyhound Retail Park, but quashed rumours it was proposing to sell off Chester’s only cinema as part of the deal, insisting the council does not own the site.

Chester’s listed Art Deco Odeon cinema in Northgate Street closed in June 2007 after 71 years in operation. It is now set to be transformed as part of a £43m project to develop a long-awaited theatre to replace the Gateway, which also closed its doors in 2007.