A play area planned for a development site in Colchester has been scrapped at the last moment, disappointing councillors.

Developers given permission to build homes at the former Colchester Lathe Site in Elmstead Road, Colchester, agreed to pay for the playground equipment and its maintenance as part of a special agreement.

But members of Colchester Council's planning committee said they were shocked to learn the plans could not go ahead because of Government guidelines bought in after the agreement was made.

Planning officers told the meeting last night (Thursday) that regulations say play areas cannot be sited near overhead cables for safety reasons, so the plans could not go ahead.

But they were also told there was nowhere else the equipment could be sited on the development because work was well under way and there were no suitable areas left.

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