A DEVELOPER has withdrawn its plans to build 340 homes and a hospital in Maldon.

Kensington & Edinburgh Estates had offered to build a replacement for the town’s crumbling St Peter’s Hospital, on land off Spital Road.

The outline plans, which cover a site the size of 33 football pitches, would have included 340 homes, a community hospital, a 60-bed care home, a discount food store and two shops.

After being rejected by Maldon District Council last December following 11 months of deliberations, the developer submitted an appeal to the Planning Inspectorate in April.

But although three days had been set aside for the hearing, the developer has now withdrawn its appeal, citing a lack of information from the NHS over the hospital.

Spencer Cooper, managing director of Kensington and Edinburgh Estates, said: “It appears that the NHS is nowhere close to making a decision on its preferred location for a new health facility in Maldon, and we have little choice but to explore other options for the Maldon Hall Farm site.

“I have written to the council and the NHS to see if they are still keen to deliver some form of community health facility at Maldon Hall Farm and if so to meet, before we explore alternative proposals.’’

More than 300 residents had joined Maldon Town Council, Heybridge Parish Council, Essex County Council and other organisations in opposing the bid.

The application site surrounded the west and southern sides of Maldon Cemetery and left campaigners concerned about any future expansion.

The cemetery is expected to be full by 2024 at the latest and the council is exploring how it can be expanded.

Rosalind Oakley, of the Maldon Hall Farm group, said: “I was so pleased and relieved. It is fabulous news.

“People from all over the district have been worried about that. The cemetery takes people from all over and people want it to be kept peaceful.

“People were desperately wanting that peace protected. I couldn’t be happier. We have all fought hard to protect this peaceful space. It is not just important for us but for generations down the line.”

Judy Lea, of the Maldon Society, said: “This is great news for Maldon.

“It has always been our view that this was an opportunistic development outside even what is planned in the Local Development Plan, with fortunately unsuccessful methods used to try and gain public support.

“It contained unwanted retail development, would have permanently scarred one of the highest and therefore most visible landscapes near the town, hampered the cemetery’s extension and added yet more housing without adequate infrastructure such as GPs and primary roads to the A12.”