The result of an appeal which could determine the future of the former EMD cinema has been delayed “due to unforeseen circumstances”, a trust campaigning for it to be restored to its former glory claims.

The government was due to deliver its decision this week on an appeal launched by The Universal Church for the Kingdom of God (UCKG), which wants to turn the site in Hoe Street, Walthamstow, into church-cinema hybrid.

But the Waltham Forest Cinema Trust, which hopes to turn the vacant site into a cinema and live performance venue, said the government told them the decision has been delayed, with no new date given for the result to be announced.

The UCKG’s plans were turned down by Waltham Forest Council last September.

The group bought the listed building in 2002 but has repeatedly failed to get planning permission to convert it into a place of worship.

It had hoped to gain approval for plans to use the main auditorium as a church with other rooms used as cinemas, and after the refusal the group appealed to the government’s planning inspectorate.

The inspectorate held a public inquiry over the plans, but has allegedly said that the verdict has been delayed, with no explanation given to campaigners.

If the appeal had been rejected this week then Bill Hodgson, of the trust, hoped the council could issue a compulsory purchase order, meaning the UCKG would be forced to sell the site to the authority.

If that had happened, the trust could then begin implementing plans to turn it back into a cinema and live performance venue.

But now both sides are awaiting a fresh date to be set for the verdict to be announced.