A DEVELOPER behind a 15,000 home garden community feels they have been 'sidelined' following a procedural error.

An extra public hearing on the Local Plan was held on Wednesday.

The additional date was added by the independent planning inspector, specifically for a proposal by developers Lightwood Strategic, for a proposed garden community at Monks Wood near Pattiswick, east of Braintree.

The proposal could not be fully examined at the original hearing in January, due to a delay in the local authorities registering their representations.

AECOM, an independent company that assessed the site, has already found the development unsuitable.

Lightwood say they have been "sidelined" all along, believing the three proposed garden community sites at West Tey, Colchester's border with Tendring and west of Braintree were "pre-determined".

We contacted them for further comment, but did not receive a response in time for publication.

Representatives from the Campaign Against Urban Sprawl in Essex also raised concerns about the error.

Secretary Rosie Pearson said: "An administrative failure in which the councils neglected to send not just Lightwood's, but also five other representations to the inspector, means numbers of parties including CAUSE and parish councils have been unable to participate fully in the process.

"The challenges posed by Lightwood go to the root of the way in which decisions have been made by council officers and council leaders without proper justification or consideration of alternatives."

A response by Lightwood Strategic for the Monks Wood plans submitted as part of a previous consultation was not formally registered.

This meant they were not formally notified of the first public examination and did not attend.

Colchester Council said it did not believe this chance for Lightwood to have their say would delay the Local Plan process.

A Braintree Council spokesman added: “The three local authorities submitted a Local Plan which they consider to be the most appropriate strategy for the long term development of homes, jobs and infrastructure in North Essex, and is now with the Planning Inspectorate for his consideration.

"We considered the large scale development at Monks Wood along with all other proposals, however the plan does not intend to include this development that is being proposed by Lightwood Strategic.”