Buckingham Town Council’s planning committee received a presentation on a proposed plan for the former Chandos Cinema site, on Monday night.
Midlands-based property development company UK & Maine Ltd outlined plans to demolish the derelict cinema building and build a local convenience store.
Director Roger Ahmed said the convenience store would offer 20 to 25 job opportunities.
He said the empty property was attracting health and safety problems, and residents had said they were fed up with youths congregating on the site.
Mr Ahmed told the meeting: “It’s generally agreed this is a quality site occupying a prominent spot. It needs a quality building.”
The plan was generally well-received by councillors, although Councillor Jon Harvey called the initial design “boring”.
Mr Harvey said: “Something more Art Deco would at least have a nod towards what it had been.”
UK & Maine director Steve Evans told the Advertiser: “We’ve taken on board those comments and we will work up the design and come up with some tweaks and see what people feel.”
“It was helpful to hear BTC’s comments and understand what is important to them.
“We hope to be able to work with them and bring some life back to this neglected site.”
UK & Maine are aiming to put in a planning application by the end of November or early December.