Leading councillors are outraged after being snubbed by Home Office officials over talks on the application for the "youth jail" at the St Charles site in Weald Road, Brentwood.

Councillors are furious after being told no meeting would take place between the council and Home Office ministers before a appeal hearing set to determine the hugely controversial Secure Training Centre project.

Council leader David Gottesmann is incensed a new date cannot be set before the hearing on September 11 - especially as a previous meeting was postponed in June due to the General Election.

He said: "It is quite simply pathetic. It is absolute nonsense that a another meeting cannot be arranged between now and September.

"We were hoping to put across very strongly the views of Brentwood people and the council on how this issue is being handled."

The Youth Justice Board, a branch of the Home Office, originally applied to the council in February for permission to build the centre - which would hold up to 40 persistent young offenders.

However, the board appealed against the council after it failed to determine the application within the statutory eight weeks.

This means an inspector from the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions will determine the application.

Brentwood Council Chief Executive Bob McLintock has now written to Home Office minister Beverley Hughes MP to express the council's concerns.

But a Home Office spokesman said: "We are not changing our position on this and still want to gain planning permission. It wouldn't be appropriate for a meeting with ministers prior to the appeal. The forum for any objections they have will be the appeal."=

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