A bid to get a historic building Special Interest status, months after plans to demolish it for flats were submitted, has failed.

If given the go ahead, Hermes House in St John's Road, Tunbridge Wells, will be flattened to make way for 43 new apartments.

Plans for the site, which is home to one of the UK's largest logistics companies, were submitted to Tunbridge Wells Borough Council in May.

The iconic clock fronting will be known to many in the town, Southborough and Tonbridge who have travelled along the A26.

The Royal Tunbridge Wells Civic Society explained a bid to have Hermes House added to a list of buildings with special architectural or historic interest was rejected.

"Disappointing news," the group said.

"The Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport has decided not to add Hermes House to the List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest."

If approved, the HQ of Logistics UK, formerly the Freight Transport Association, would be knocked down for 43 apartments.

Plans would see studio, one-bedroom and two-bedroom homes with private balconies built in a new four-storey building.

There would also be 53 car parking spaces, including electric vehicle charging spaces and 44 cycle parking spaces with secure storage.

Logistics UK moved into the building more than three decades ago, in 1985, and employs around 120 people in the town.

It said the ageing building isn't suitable for its needs and the accommodation at the current site has been described as "poor quality".

The site currently has two linked three-storey office buildings, one of which was built in the 1930s as a church conversion. An extension was added to it in the 1980s and provides two floors of offices.

There are no details on how much the new apartments would cost, if plans were approved by Tunbridge Wells Borough Council, however, none have been identified as affordable housing.