A new two-screen cinema would be built in its place, along with nine townhouses nearby.
Despite much fanfare when the scheme was announced, the application submitted to Dover District Council (DDC) exceeded its determination deadline on June 27 this year.
If six months pass beyond that date, the local authority has the option to "dispose" of the application while it continues to wait for further information from the applicant, James Wallace.
DDC says that without these extra details, it cannot make a final decision.
While campaigners are keen for the derelict site to be restored, they hope the plans lodged last year are ditched amid concerns they are inadequate for a town of Deal's size.
Mr Wallace's proposals are for one screen with 51 seats and a second with 24. But the original Regent had more than 900 seats in the 1930s.
Fay Franklin, chairman of the Reopen the Regent campaign group, said: "We welcomed the fact new plans had been submitted and were very pleased to see the iconic facade is to be recreated almost like-for-like.
"We were also glad to see a two-screen option adopted, but we remain concerned about the low number of seats meeting the needs of Deal with a population of more than 30,000."
With a new cafe or restaurant also planned, along with a multi-use function room, Ms Franklin highlights that there are currently more dining seats proposed than cinema seats.
"Two leading cinema organisations tell us these numbers do not add up to a viable business model for a profit-making, mainstream cinema," she added.
"They say at least double the number of seats, over two or even three screens should be the goal for a cinema that wants to serve the whole community and be successful.
"The Regent has stood neglected and falling into dereliction, and while there are elements of the plans we welcome, there are still far too many that leave it vulnerable to compromise, failure or never even happening."
Reopen the Regent, which launched 10 years ago, has recently proposed other courses of action to DDC.
This includes serving a notice on the landowner to remedy the building's deteriorating condition by making essential repairs to prevent further damage.
Alternatively, the group calls for DDC to initiate a compulsory purchase order, which enables local authorities to acquire land if they think it will facilitate redevelopment.
Land to the rear of the site, as well as part of the adjoining council-owned car park in South Street, is earmarked for nine four-bedroom townhouses, each with its own private garden.
The Art Deco-style design of the facade of the original building is expected to be replicated.
A new public toilet is also planned.
Currently, there are 68 objections to the development on DDC's planning portal and 16 comments in support.
Deal Town Council is among those opposing the scheme.
In February, Mike Eddy, Mayor of Deal and council chair, said: "This has been going on for far too long and it really needs to be sorted out now.
"The last thing we want is to lose this landmark from our seafront or the car parking and public toilet facilities behind it.
"A decision needs to be made to protect this unique building and to keep the facilities available to the people of Deal."
Previously, both Historic England and Save Britain's Heritage lodged their opposition, with concerns over how the demolition of the former cinema would impact the Middle Street Conservation Area, which was the first to be designated in the county.
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DDC granted an extension to the application in December, saying more details were needed to assess the application.
This included a sequential test as the site lies within flood zones, and additional information regarding the viability of retaining the front facade, as well as a business case for the operations of both the cinema and restaurant.
This week, a DDC spokesperson told KentOnline: "We continue to consider this application and are awaiting further information from the applicant.
"Options have been provided to the agent about how to progress the application, including suggesting it could be withdrawn and resubmitted once the additional information is available.
"The council also has the option to finally dispose of the application after six months of the expiry of the date of the extension of time."
They added the options put forward by Reopen the Regent are not currently being explored.
Applicant James Wallace previously said he hoped the new scheme could give something back to the Deal community. He declined to comment when approached by KentOnline this week.
The Regent opened as a music hall in 1928 and became a 911-seat cinema five years later.
It remained a picturehouse for 30 years before becoming a bingo hall, but closed in 2008 and has been empty ever since.