MAJOR shopping centre plans have resubmitted.
The move by the Tollgate Partnership is the latest twist in a bitter row it’s had with Colchester Council since the plans were refused in February.
The Tollgate Partnership has been battling for permission to build shops, restaurants and a cinema on 20 acres of land in Stanway.
After more than 2,500 people signed a petition, started by @Colchesterviews and recently presented it to the Local Plan Committee, Tollgate Partnership directors Jayne Gee and Daniel Watts decided public opinion "could not be ignored".
Commenting on their surprise move to resubmit last night, they said: “We feel this an opportunity for the Planning Committee and officers to rethink their decision and listen to what the people of Colchester want. We are also giving the council a second chance to be responsible for a massive boost to the borough’s economy, create 1,000 jobs and to make this decision locally rather than it being determined by a Government Inspector in a lengthy and costly appeal process.”
The resubmission comes weeks after the Tollgate Partnership submitted its appeal against the refused plans.
That appeal still stands and if the resubmitted plans are not approved in the meantime, this first set of plans could go before a Government inspector at a public inquiry.
If the inspector finds in favour of the application, Colchester Council would have to foot a costly legal bill.
The resubmitted application is fundamentally the same as the original but includes a more robust highways report which details improvements to the surrounding infrastructure including the A12 junction.
The Partnership added: “With the local elections looming, we hope that the public will vote people onto the council who are going to listen to them. We expect this application to be heard by a new committee after the local elections.
“We have decided to resubmit in the light of the overwhelming support from the people of Colchester. Had Members been aware of all of this support they might have made a different decision.”
Colchester Council was unavailable for comment last night.
