THE owners of the dilapidated old Odeon cinema have been ordered to sort the building out.

Plans for a £10 million overhaul, which include building more than 40 flats and renovating two shops, were given the go-ahead late last year.

But work has yet to start and the former cinema, in Crouch Street, Colchester, has continued to attract antisocial behaviour, including drinking and drug-taking.

It has also been targeted by arsonists.

Colchester Council has now acted to make owners Blu-Marble Properties clean it up.

Planning enforcement officers have issued the Section 215 Notice (untidy site notice) on the site.

It states the building must be “brought back to a visual acceptable standard”.

That includes all windows being boarded up, cleaning and painting the building white and all vegetation and overgrown weeds will have to be removed.

Guttering will also have to be repaired.

The work must be done within 28 days.

The move comes as some relief to Crouch Street businesses who have consistently called for action on the site.

One retailer, who asked not to be identified, said: “There is no doubt it just the big elephant in the street.

“I watch people go past every day and instead of being aware of all the shops on the north side of the street, they are staring at the big monstrosity over the road.

“There’s no doubt it is detracting from what’s on offer here.

“Everyone is trying their best to put themselves in the window to attract people down here [to Crouch Street] but things like that [the Odeon] aren’t doing us any favours.”

Mike Lilley, Colchester councillor responsible for planning enforcement, said: “This is what happens when people refuse to act on things we have asked of them.

“We have been asking the owners for some time now to make the building fit for purpose and they haven’t done it.

“Therefore, the next course of action for us is to issue a notice, warning them they have to do it.

“If they fail to do that, then they will be in the magistrates’ court facing a prosecution.

“I quite agree with the traders down there; it is a horrible sight and if you’ve got a business facing that, you have a right to be annoyed about it.”

“We obviously hope it doesn’t come to a prosecution because you would hope the owners would want to be good neighbours.”

Darius Laws, Conservative councillor for Castle ward, which takes in the town centre, said: “Given the changing nature of the retail landscape, it is critical buildings and the public realm look their best to help make our old town centre a destination people want to visit.

“I encourage property owners to step up and improve building facades for the benefit of all.”

Owners Blu-Marble said the notice had been received and discussions are on-going with Colchester Council.