AN ice rink, a sports centre, a dance hall, and a concert venue.

These are just some of the uses that planning chiefs say the York Odeon site, in Blossom Street, could be put to when it closes as a cinema in August.

Mike Slater, City of York Council's assistant director of planning, said the Grade II Listed building's current planning use was restricted to leisure pursuits suitable for large numbers of people.

"If the owners wanted to go from a cinema to anything outside leisure they would need fresh planning permission," he said.

"We've got to take a pragmatic view, but our preferred use would be within the current category.

"A lot of the building's features will have to be preserved.

"We don't want it left empty and want it to be kept in good condition."

Mr Slater said they were keen to sit down with the site's owners, Norwich Union, to discuss the best way forward. The insurance company said they had hired a property agent to look at their best available options after Odeon confirmed it was relinquishing its leasehold. Their options include selling the site outright or leasing it out to another interested party.

The Press previously reported the historic picture house will close its doors to the public in late August.

The closure comes in spite of a Press petition signed by more than 13,000 people, calling for the cinema to stay open after a refurbishment.

A Norwich Union spokeswoman said: "We've engaged an agent to look at the options for the site. Odeon has decided to give up their leasehold. No interested parties have come forward as of yet."

An Odeon spokeswoman said: "We can confirm that, following the announcement that the cinema will close in August 2006, we are planning to put the matter into the hands of our agents to sell our leasehold on the property."

GAVIN AITCHISON asked people what they thought should replace the Odeon.

Dawn Cooper, 44, of Wilberfoss, said: "An ice rink would be nice, instead of having to take the kids a long way for ice skating."

Bernard Cummings, 62, a visitor to York from Bradford, said: "I think it could turn into a concert hall."

Elizabeth Speight, of Poppleton Road, York: "An ice rink would be good. York could do with something like that for kids."

Paul Wells, 24, of Holgate Road, York, said: "An ice rink would be quite cool, or perhaps a bowling alley or something."

Updated: 10:21 Monday, May 22, 2006