Plans for a multi-million pound business centre are more likely to be refused than accepted, senior council officials have indicated.

Colchester Council planning boss Vincent Pearce said developers would need to prove "exceptional justification" to persuade the authority to pass plans for a complex creating 3,700 new jobs on agricultural land at Stanway's Stane Park.

Highways chief Martin Mason said he was unhappy with transport assessments drawn up by consultants working for the landowners.