MALDON District Council's long-awaited local development plan has been given the green light. 

Secretary of state communities and local government Sajid Javid has today approved the plan. 

Inspector Simon Berkeley found the plan to be sound earlier this month and has now passed the report to the secretary of state communities and local government Sajid Javid.

The plan, which sets out where homes, infrastructure and other developments should be built in the district until 2030, had been delayed after previous inspector David Vickery stopped his examination in May 2014 because of issues with the lack of allocated travellers’ sites.

The decision was overturned last March after the council called in the decision to the government.

But the secretary of state for communities and local government agreed with Mr Vickery that there were insufficient traveller sites proposed.

New inspector Simon Berkeley restarted hearings in January but then instructed Maldon District Council to undertake a consultation on the plan’s main modifications from March through to April.

In his letter Sajid Javid MP said: “I have carefully considered the report of the inspector.

“Having done so, I have decided to approve the plan, incorporating the main modifications recommended by the inspector, as I agree that it meets the relevant statutory requirements."

Mark Durham, Leader of Maldon District Council said: “We are very pleased to confirm that the Maldon District Local Development Plan (LDP) with modifications, has been approved by the Secretary of State.

"This is fantastic news for the District, this plan will help protect and shape the future of the District for years to come."

Cllr Durham added “I am grateful to the Rt Hon Sajid Javid MP for his decision and for the hard work of Council Officers and Members." 

The news has been welcomed by MP Priti Patel, whose Witham constituency covers part of the district. 

She said: “The approval of Maldon District Council’s new Local Plan will be welcomed by communities across the district.

"The Local Plan will provide more certainty and clarity to villages and prospective developers on the appropriateness of new development and the locations where it will take place.

"A number of villages that have been targeted by predatory developers will be breathing a sigh of relief with this news.”

Maldon District Council has been contacted for comment. 

Speaking earlier this month council leader Mark Durham said the council was confident a decision could be delivered in a matter of days.

In his leader’s speech last week, he said: “On June 29, we received confirmation from Inspector Berkeley that he finds our modified plan sound.

“All that stands between this and an adopted plan is sign off from Sajid Javid, The Secretary of State.

“With concerted pressure from ourselves and our MP’s, we are fairly confident that this could come in a matter of days rather than weeks.

“This, coupled with maintaining a five year housing land supply, will place the council in a strong position to defend the district against further speculative applications for housing development.

“There is little doubt that this will mark one of the most significant achievements for our council and it will make us one of the comparatively few authorities to have an adopted plan.”

Mr Durham said the plan had come about through ‘literally thousands of hours’ of work.