The Light House Cinema has applied for planning permission to further extend their establishment.

For some, the addition of two new screens would be a welcome addition to a place where with arts, culture, and tourism all coexist a short distance from each other.

The proposed extension would expand the existing Light House Cinema into a neighbouring ground floor retail unit, while still using the current entrance.

On planningbrief.com, the neighbouring retail unit is named as “Unit 9b”.

The proposal states the intention to build “new cinema screening rooms within Unit 9b of 35 and 45 person seat capacity, to give a total additional seating capacity of 80 persons”.

Currently the cinema has four screens, with the proposed additions bringing the total capacity to 694 seats.

Niall Rogers, a part-time actor, sees this as a big boost to the film industry in Ireland.

“I think it’s great that the Light House is thinking of expanding their premises, it will give small movie directors a lot of motivation to try and aim to have their work shown in such a well-known and well-respected cinema in Dublin,” he said.

“Although the rooms are small, I think that makes it all the better, there’s been many movie premieres I have been to for small independent movies where the room is only half full. It really sucks the energy out of it. But with rooms that will fit only 30 to 40 people I think it will bring much more life to a small premiere.”

Dublin City Council has yet to make a decision on the application, with the decision due on November 12th. Building work can only follow after permission is granted.