An 18-month saga over the fate of a historic art deco cinema rumbles on as gridlocked traffic continues to cause concern.

Plans to build a new supermarket on the site of the former Mecca Bingo in High Street, Hornchurch, were deferred by councillors for a second time on Thursday.

Councillors on the regulatory services committee want developers to redesign plans for access into the supermarket.

Lidl, which owns the site, received permission to demolish the building last year and is hoping to build a new discount store sooner rather than later.

Speaking on Thursday, Cllr Graham Williamson, of the Independent Residents’ Group, was adamant there could be no right turns in and out of the site.

He said: “Traffic is already a massive problem in Hornchurch and this development will compound it even more but we now need to find a way to make it work.

“There cannot be any right turns in or out of the store, we have to go for the left turn only.

“There also has to be CCTV operating so we can prosecute any drivers who try to turn right.”

Cllr Williamson also expressed his disappointment with the council’s highway team after their initial report highlighted no issues with traffic.

He said: “There is an extremely serious matter with the highways team, we need to make them accountable.

“Time after time the highways team are silent about traffic issues, they need to get a grip, it’s very embarrassing.”

Proposals for an additional pedestrian crossing outside the store were also quashed by councillors.

Developers will now formulate new plans for the site in relation to access and councillors will have to approve at a later date.