Plans for a £40 million retirement complex have been given the go-ahead by Tendring Council.

The Ryan Group wants to develop Thorpe Hall in Thorpe and provide a 52-bed nursing home, golf course, and 31 close-care units.

Original plans for an American-style retirement village were scrapped due to public pressure but last April councillors gave the go-ahead to develop the listed 17th century manor house.

That was given with 25 planning conditions attached and a legal agreement to ensure the proper development of the site and to protect its historic features.

At a development control sub-committee meeting this week, details of minor changes to the agreement were presented in a report to councillors.

The committee heard although the legal agreement has been slightly altered, there is no basic difference in the scheme and not enough change to merit it being bought before committee as an amended application.

The aim of the conditions is to provide new access points for the golf course and nursing facility and to close the existing access.

It would also mean detailed plans for parking, landscaping, drainage, archaeological surveys and no storage of building materials on the historic parkland.

In addition the planners will have to restore the historic gardens as the development takes place and Thorpe Hall itself before the other work is started.

However, Thorpe parish councillor Alan Newman was unhappy the parish council had not been consulted.

He said the parish council had helped create the conditions to protect the area and should have had a say.

Mr Newman said he was concerned the developers could alter the conditions if they split the schemes up.

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