After months of wrangling over parking, subsidies, and improvements for a rundown corner of Newbury, a planning committee of nine councillors voted unanimously to support the scheme.

Although a previous five-screen scheme collapsed last year after council highways chiefs demanded cash to resurface the road the pavements in Cheap Street, and install lights at the junction with Market Street, planners were confident that the new scheme, with the Kennet Centre paying £71,000 towards some improvements, would go through.

Councillors dismissed a 900-strong petition from local traders and shoppers, concerned that so many open air car parks are being removed for the town’s regeneration programme, as being “too late”.

It emerged that the bus station will double as a late-night taxi rank, and making the immediate area more pedestrian friendly. The traffic lights will still be installed at the Cheap Street/Market Street junction, but the £60,000 bill paid for by taxpayers instead.

The committee was concerned at the extra 10% of traffic expected on the Sainsbury roundabout on Saturday afternoons, but chairman Tony Vickers hoped the bulk of cinema users will cycle to the cinema, as there are virtually no buses after 7pm.

Town mayor and committee member Mike Rodger said: “Concerns have been expressed, but I think it’s a scheme to regenerate that area of town. We have a scheme that blends harmoniously, and visually will have little impact.

“I think some of the points raised have been misdirected.”

Work is expected to start early next year, but only if the Kennet Centre signs up to 19 planning conditions.