Harlow Council has bought the former Odeon cinema in Harlow town centre, ending two decades of vacancy at one of the first attractions built in the post-war new town. The deal was struck in March and completed in May, but the council has not yet said exactly how the site will be used.

The cinema had stood empty since Odeon closed it in August 2005, after opening the three-screen venue in 1960. Council leader Dan Swords said the building had become a derelict symbol of decline and added: “That ends now.” He said: “With the site now under council control, we can move forward at pace with its redevelopment.”

The council said it bought the site at market rate, but did not disclose the price. Detailed plans for the redevelopment are due to be released in the coming weeks. The purchase adds another piece to a wider effort to reshape the centre of Harlow, which was built as a new town in 1951 and has become a focus for redevelopment.

The authority has already taken over Terminus House, the Harvey Centre, Market House and Adams House. Work to regenerate Market Square is under way, while a £34m project at Playhouse Square and a £15m rebuild of the bus station are also continuing. Swords said: “We are rebuilding our town centre from the ground up - with construction already under way and more to come.”

The question now is not whether the old cinema will change hands again, but how quickly the council can turn ownership into visible change. Swords said residents can already see the difference and that the authority is determined to keep up momentum, and the next plans for the former Odeon will show whether Harlow can keep that pace.