A development application has been submitted to Queanbeyan-Palerang Regional Council by Sandran Pty Ltd to develop the site at 30 Morisset Street into a cinema.

The site currently houses Kmart on the ground floor with the cinema proposed to be built above the retailer.

Sandran owns the property and has partnered with United Cinemas to bring the proposal to council.

The company proposes to build a nine screen movie theatre that can hold up to 1315 people in total, and will include a licenced bar and lounge area.

The cinema would have two theatres which could hold 269 guests with seven other cinemas varying in size from 69 to 155 seats. All cinemas would offer a combination of reclining and stadium-style seating.

Should the project go ahead as planned it would have multiple cinemas larger than the Woden Hoyts. That complex’s largest theatre seats 117 people. It would not be substantially smaller than the recently expanded Dendy in Civic which has a total capacity of 1737.

United Cinemas chairman Roy Mustaca said he was excited about bringing a cinema to Queanbeyan.

“We will be bringing the finest cinema experience to the people of Queanbeyan who have waited a very long time to have a cinema in their community,” Mr Mustaca said.

“We’ll be showing the best of Hollywood's blockbuster and mainstream movies and all of what the world's international movie market has to offer in new release films."

One of the property’s owners William Phillips said he hoped the cinema would be greeted with open arms and expected it to boost the CBD through later trading hours and increased dining.

A cinema for Queanbeyan was a major issue during the council election in September last year. Mayor Tim Overall and his team pledged to bringing a cinema to town.

In 2014 the former Queanbeyan City Council considered a proposal from Metro Cinemas which included the council providing up to $8 million in funding to construct the cinema.

It received support at the time by Cr Overall and some other councillors including current councillors Trudy Taylor and Peter Bray, however the proposal was opposed by a majority and resulted in Metro withdrawing their application.

A feasibility study was later commissioned by the council which identified several locations around Queanbeyan as suitable for a cinema. However, no plans were able to be progressed before the council entered administration.

A spokesman for the council said the current application did not request any funding from the council and the cinema company made the initial approach through the DA process.

The notification period, which allows public submissions, is open until February 6. Residents wishing to view the DA can do so at the council office and submissions can be submitted via email at council@qprc.nsw.gov.au