A DECISION on whether a historic cinema building can be converted into a church is due to be made next month.
Waltham Forest Council's planning committee has set a provisional date of on Wednesday May 18 to discuss a bid by the Universal Church of the Kingdom of God (UCKG) to develop the former EMD cinema building in Hoe Street, Walthamstow.
More than 2,200 people have signed an online petition urging the council to reject the application.
Campaigners are calling for it to be sold by UCKG and re-opened as a cinema.
The building has been empty since it closed in 2003.
The meeting will be solely dedicated to the application.
Bill Hodgson, of the McGuffin Film Society, which has been campaigning against UCKG's application, said: "A decision on the cinema's fate is long overdue and we are pleased that a date has finally been set for this planning application to be determined.
"The fate of the cinema will have a major impact on the future of the whole town centre so it is essential the council makes the right choice.
"Local residents have made their voices heard time and again on this issue and there can be no doubt that a revived cinema is what this community wants".
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