Owner Lazarus Properties has removed the blue metal cladding from the Hallgate frontage, partly on safety grounds, but also to convince objectors that the 1930s Art Deco building is not worth saving.

But it has promised to salvage a sculpted frieze depicting the making of a movie from script to shooting, which has been hidden from view since the cinema was modernised and converted to three screens in the 1970s, and incorporate it into the new building.

The firm expects to hear on Tuesday if councillors have granted planning permission to demolish the old cinema, closed more than a year ago, to build a new £10 million, shops, bars, casino and office complex on the site.

If Lazarus gets the go-ahead the demolition of the structure, which has suffered extensive vandalism and two arson attacks since it was shuttered, will start within weeks.

Lloyd Nicholson, of Lazarus Properties, said: "People have been saying how beautiful it is behind that cladding but we had a full structural assessment and knew it wasn't.

"We took the cladding off for two reasons - one because some of it was flapping in the wind and posed a safety risk, and secondly because we wanted to make the town aware of what was behind it.

"The only thing worth preserving is the frieze, which is concrete, and we have promised that will be saved and incorporated into the new building."

Mr Nicholson said they wanted to proceed with demolition as soon as possible because the firm is "terrified" of a major asbestos cloud being released into the town centre if there is a large fire in the cinema.

"We are constantly making the building secure and have security on site nearly all the time but if someone starts a major fire that could spread asbestos round the town and we wouldn't want that.

"Nearly everybody wants the demolition to go through because Doncaster doesn't want another empty cinema site becoming an eyesore, like the original Odeon further down Hallgate, and the ABC."

If permission is granted it will take about two months to demolish the cinema, working from the rear, with only one day when Hallgate will be closed to traffic for safety reasons. Pavements round the site will be blocked off because of scaffolding.

Planning officers will tell councillors on Tuesday that there have been only four objections to the proposals and English Heritage declined to make the Odeon a Listed Building.

They have recommended planning permission is granted for the five-storey development which will consist of retail, food and drink, offices, a fitness club and casino.

A council report states: "The proposal is acceptable in land-use terms as all of the proposed uses are appropriate to a town centre location.