A final decision on Southend United's plans for a new super-stadium must be made within the next three months, it has just been announced.

Protesters against proposals for the 16,000 all-seater stadium on Fossetts Farm, Southend, gathered outside the Civic Centre on Wednesday as the latest plans were debated.

But members of Southend's development control committee overwhelmingly voted to delay making a final decision in the long-awaited plans, urging for more detailed information.

Councillor Roger Weaver (Con, Eastwood) said at the meeting: "This application has been with us for some time and we must not as a council allow this application to cast a further shadow.

"To prevent this hanging over the council anymore, can we ask that officers come back within three months time with a yea or nay recommendation."

Club bosses are hoping to relocate from their current ground at Roots Hall in Victoria Avenue, to an 80-acre site on Fossetts Farm, off Eastern Avenue, by 2004.

The £46million development could also include an 80-bed hotel, nightclub, casino, ten-screen cinema and leisure complex.

Council officers requested more time to compile detailed reports into the impact the stadium would have on the surrounding road networks and adjoining land, including the crematorium and housing estates. Thousands of signatures on petitions both supporting and opposing the stadium have already been received by the council.

Protesters against the 16,000 all-seater stadium wave their placards outside the Civic Centre

Picture: STEVE O'CONNELL

Converted for the new archive on 19 November 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.