OPPONENTS of a plan to demolish an historic former cinema and replace it with flats have been accused of living in the past by developers - after the scheme was turned down by the council.

Agents working for businessman Nam Pham, owner of the much-loved 'Kinema' building in Wanstead High Street, refused to rule out an appeal against the council's decision to reject proposals for a block of nine new apartments and a restaurant on the site.

Martin Harradine, of development planners AZ Urban Studio, described the 160 year-old building as being 'a complete dog' and said that people had opposed the scheme out of a sense of misguided nostalgia for a structure with little architectural merit.

Mr Harradine said that Mr Pham - whose wife runs the Nam Am Vietnamese restaurant on the ground floor of the building - was still determined to redevelop it despite the council's decision.

He said: "People keep referring to it as an historic building of great architectural importance, but it's not, it's a complete dog.

"It's in a terrible state and we feel our proposal would have enhanced that part of the High Street, not detracted from it.

"People who opposed it seem to be more attached to this nostalgic idea of the fact that the building once housed a cinema for a few years 80 years ago, than by its genuine architectural merit."

Mr Harradine said that Mr Pham - who plans to include the popular restaurant in the proposed development - is not just out to make a 'quick buck.'

He said: "Mr Pham is determined to move on from here to redevelop the site.

"He is a local businessman who cares about Wanstead, he isn't just a faceless developer coming in to make a quick buck.

"He believes this development would help improve Wanstead."

Valerie Sayers, of Manor House Garden, said Mr Harradine's comments showed that he did not understand the feelings of the scheme's opponents.

She said: "This sounds like simple frustration to me because the plan was rejected.

"Who is he to say what is an important building and what is not when he doesn't live here, and so doesn't care about the area?

"The Kinema is an important building. I used to go their as a child myself.

"To preserve the character of an area you don't just have to protect the picture book buildings. Other more functional buildings are just as important."