“Significant concerns” have been raised by the planning inspector due to consider plans for 4,410 homes in the district.

David Vickery has asked to meet Maldon District Council on Thursday about its Local Development Plan (LDP).

The ‘exploratory meeting’ could lead to the council deciding to withdraw the plan in the worst case scenario.

Alternatively, it could carry out some extra work to address his concerns, or the planned examination in public, in which the inspector will consider the LDP and listen to the views of those for and against it, will go ahead as planned.

In a letter to the council last week he said: “Unfortunately, I have identified some significant concerns regarding the potential soundness of the Plan, and I therefore need to explore these with the council and others at an exploratory meeting."

* Full story in today's Standard.