THE FUTURE of an historic former cinema has been thrown into doubt yet again after a fresh application was submitted to demolish it.

The 'Kinema' building next to the George pub in Wanstead High Street, could be knocked down and replaced with a block of eight flats and a restaurant if a new plan is given the go-ahead by the council.

The latest proposal comes just months after a previous application was turned down by the authority in November last year on the grounds that the demolition was 'unjustified' and that the new design would not preserve or enhance the surrounding conservation area.

The current twin-gabled building dates back to the late 19th Century. It became a 600-seat Empire cinema in October 1913, had its named changed to the Wanstead Kinema in 1930 and closed in 1956 - since when it has been used as both a bingo club and a snooker hall.

The Wanstead Society fought, which fought successfully to get the previous application for the site rejected - is set to meet on Thursday to discuss the latest demolition plan.

Society member, and chartered building surveyor, Andrew Wernick, 48, said: "In my view it's a poor design and they are proposing to use yellow stock brick which is going to clash with the red brick work on the George nextdoor. It will look terrible.

"After the last application was rejected the architects invited us to be consulted on the design, and we said yes as long as refurbishment rather than demolition was a possibility. They said that's not an option, so we said no.

"I think the new design is no better than the last one.

"The current building enhances that part of Wanstead. It's a humble building which provides a really good setting for The George - which enhances the area."

Fellow Society member, Valerie Sayers, who lives close to the Kinema building in Manor House Garden, said: "I would definitely oppose this again.

"I would like the old building to be kept. We need to protect the look of the High Street. It's a reminder of what it used to look like."

Billie Figg, of The Avenue - another member of the Wanstead Society - also said she planned to oppose the demolition scheme.

"This design would not preserve or enhance the conservation area."

The Guardian has so far been unable to contact Nam Pham, who submitted the latest plan for the building.

But a design statement for the scheme, which has been significantly altered from the previous proposal, reads: "The building has become a reminder, through associated memory, of a former time for many of the local residents. This is interesting as the activity of cinema is held within the 'black box' of the auditorium.

"The image of the building (the façade) is distinctly separate from the actual process of watching the film."

It goes on to say that the design would maintain the historical building line onto the High Street and include window openings of a similar size and proportion to the ones on the existing building.

It said the proposal will also feature a 'varied roof line' – to echo the gabled design of the current building and to avoid obstructing existing views of the neighbouring George pub.

The planned roof would be slightly higher than the existing one but still significantly lower than the pub's, according to the statement.

It said the design would also include the use of London stock brick facing material, in order to match the type used in the original building and neighbouring properties.

The demolition plan will now go before the council's Conservation Advisory Panel at a date to be set.