Campaigners fighting for the future of one of Crystal Palace’s oldest buildings have spoken of their concern it could be demolished.

The Assembly Rooms building next to the White Hart, in Westow Street, was built in 1830, but in recent years has fallen into a poor state of repair.

Campaigners from the Crystal Palace Triangle Planning Group (CPTPG) have been fighting to see them restored in the face of continued planning applications from current owners, Greek Orthodox Church of St Constantine & Helen, to demolish it.

The church’s most recent application, submitted last month, is to level the building and replace it with a community and cultural centre and two flats.

CPTPG member Sue Nagal said she feared the building could be levelled after Croydon Council sources revealed the building, which has never been listed, had deteriorated so badly it could not be restored.

She said: “It’s incredibly sad. This is one of Crystal Palace’s oldest buildings and yet it has been allowed to fall into an unfit state that puts it at risk.”

Annabel Sidney, chairman of CPTPG, said there needed to be an independent assessment of the state of the building, to see its suitablilty for restoration, before any decisions were made on its future.

Both said they were angry the timber-clad building, being in a conservation area, could not be better protected from demise by Croydon Council.

It has had to be supported by scaffolding since 2005 because it posed a health and safety risk.

A spokeswoman for Croydon Council said the authority had limited powers to ensure land owners with properties in the Upper Norwood Conservation Area maintain buildings that are on private land.

She added: “The new application for redevelopment is being considered on its planning merits and in particular whether the proposal would preserve or enhance the character and appearance of the conservation area.”

The church was approached for comment but did not reply in time for our deadline.

Comment on the planning application, reference number 10/02644/P, at planning.croydon.gov.uk.

No date has yet been set for it to be considered by Croydon’s planning committee.