Developers are going back to the drawing board after their controversial scheme to regenerate a former town shipyard was thrown out.

Hampstead Homes (London) wanted to build 181 residential units, a marina, shops, leisure club and cafe at Waterside, Brightlingsea.

But Tendring councillors felt the plans were more in keeping with a London Docklands-type setting and on Tuesday night voted unanimously to reject them.

They said they were not against the principle of development for the former James and Stone shipyard, but felt the scale was not in keeping with a small town like Brightlingsea.

There were also major objections from English Nature, English Heritage, the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, Essex Wildlife Trust and other bodies.

For more on this story see www.business-in-essex.co.uk

By Nigel Brown

Reporter's e-mail: nigel_brown@thisisessex.co.uk

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