CAMPAIGNERS opposing plans to build housing on Colchester's Middlewick Ranges accused council officials of keeping a "vital" letter away from councillors just days before a crunch vote on the scheme.

Richard Martin, of the Save Middlewick group, told a meeting of Colchester Council's Local Plan committee the letter, from Natural England, was "kept from councillors" ahead of a key vote in July.

On July 4 the full council voted to adopt the Local Plan, which includes the allocation of 1,000 homes on Middlewick Ranges, with 23 out of 35 councillors present voting in favour.

Mr Martin said the letter, which campaigners had sourced via a Freedom of Information request, had been sent to the planning department at Colchester Council five days ahead of the vote.

He told the meeting: "This letter concludes 'should this plan be adopted we reserve our right to object to any proposal at this site that did not fully take account of the specific biodiversity interest of the site and demonstrate compliance with those statutory duties and planning policy'.

"One could reasonably expect that such a strong letter might have changed the way the council intended to vote or councillors' own decisions.

"In the end councillor Goss and the mayor, councillor Tim Young, both agreed this letter would be made available to councillors after the vote took place.

"Even now, three months after the vote took place, it hasn't been apparent this promise has been fulfilled."

He added: "Colchester residents may now be wondering why the letter was kept from councillors and their own portfolio holder for planning by their own department.

"I do find it astonishing a campaign group has to provide information to a councillor that their own department saw fit to keep away from them, before and after a crucial vote took place."

Planning officer Karen Syrett said anyone who had asked for the letter had been provided with a copy.

She added: "We don't tend to just generally circulate everything that comes into our inbox, I had 150 odd emails today - I'm sure councillors don't want to receive a copy of everything I get.

"Having said that, I would apologise if the chair and/or the mayor asked for it to be circulated to everyone, I am happy to do that."