Controversial night club LuXe is set to stay for now after councillors refused applicants permission to demolish it.

At a meeting of Epping Forest District Council last night (September 21), councillors voted against proposals from Amit Kundra, who hoped to demolish the 1860s building and build a new four-storey block of flats with a shop on the ground floor.

The plan had faced significant opposition from members of the public and local groups, which made calls to protect the venue’s “beautiful” front.

Once known as The Royal Standard, the imposing tavern was built in the “Shoreditch model” and featured classic green tiling and a recognisable pub sign, now covered up.

In an online poll by the Epping Forest Guardian, 58 per cent of people said the façade should be kept but supported closing the club.

Another 28 per cent of votes also supported closing the club but said the building should be completely replaced, while 14 per cent of people said LuXe should remain as the district “needs places to go out”.

Speaking at last night’s meeting, the scheme’s architect drew attention to the building not being listed and said the façade could not be kept.

He said: “The building is not in its original form by far, a lot of work has been done to the façade… there are many, many structural issues with the building.”

He said neglect and decoration over the years had corroded stonework and destroyed the green tiles, with external walls now unstable and timber floors decaying.

He added: “We took into account, can we convert it, we had the surveys carried out.

“It’s in an incredibly poor state and it’s not London, it’s Loughton, it’s not financially viable.”

Meeting chairman, councillor Gavin Chambers, said the application was “difficult” to consider alongside the ongoing licensing saga with LuXe, which has been associated with a number of violent assaults and was ordered to stop operating as a night club last year.

Councillor Chris Pond referred to the building’s former role catering for visitors to Epping Forest, and said: “This building is absolutely pivotal to the history of the development of Loughton and for that reason, it should be regarded as a heritage asset pure and simple.”

Councillor John Knapman said: “If we say no to this, my worry is we will just watch the decline of this building and that is a risk… I wouldn’t want to take that risk, I would prefer to see something like this [new building] than a building which is in permanent decline with no business activity going on there.”

Despite his appeal, councillors ultimately voted against the demolition.

Considering a way forward, Cllr Chambers said: “My view would be a smaller development, certainly, and trying to keep… the façade I think is certainly important.”

Councillor Leon Girling called for any new development “to keep as much of the characteristics, the features of the existing buildings as well.”

The applicant can now appeal or submit a different application.