MOVIE fans could be enjoying two more cinema screens in the heart of the Lake District from next spring, reports Rachel Kitchen.

Planners have given Zeffirellis director Derek Hook the go-ahead to transform the old junior school at Compston Road, Ambleside, into a two-screen cinema.

The plans attracted opposition from some neighbours who were concerned about late-night disturbance and parking congestion, but the Lake District National Park Authority's development control committee agreed that Ambleside was large enough to absorb the extra numbers of cars and visitors.

Mr Hook told the Gazette the new venture would be called Zeffirellis in the Park.

The two screens, seating 110 and 60 people, would give greater flexibility to the type of films he could show, particularly during the summer "block-buster" season.

The existing two-screen Zeffirellis cinema seats 277 people.

Mr Hook hopes to start work later this month, and to open the doors to movie fans in February or March.

Lake District planners heard the plan sparked three letters of objection from residents of Compston Road, with " strong concerns" about greater parking pressure in the centre of Ambleside; loss of parking for guest houses; late-night noise and disturbance from people leaving the cinema; and advertising, litter and noise being "out of keeping" in this attractive, historic area.

Rowland Dixon, of The Gables, Church Walk, told the development control committee he "could not think of anything more intolerable" than to put a cinema in this "green arc" around the bottom of Ambleside.

He said guest house owners had invested to "go up-market", and the cinema seemed out of character.

Planning officer Rachel Nutman said Ambleside was large enough to absorb the extra cars in existing car parks, and on street.

She said the screenings were unlikely to be full every evening, and some local people would go there on foot.

She said there would, no doubt, be some late-night disturbance but, because the new screens would have no restaurant or bar attached, people were likely to disperse quickly.

Director Mr Hook told the Gazette: "These concerns are also our concerns.

But after 22 years we've never had any problems with disturbance."

He anticipates the number of full and part-time staff at Zeffirellis will rise from around 36 to 45 with the new venture.

Meanwhile, planners gave permission for the existing conservatory entrance to the lower ground floor Garden Room caf at Zeffirellis to be demolished, and replaced with a new entrance building off Compston Road.