A council said it has “no confidence” in the district’s development plans.

Burnham Town Council has openly criticised Maldon District Council after plans for a 238-bed retirement complex off Maldon Road were given the go-ahead.

Town councillors voted to send a letter to Maldon District Council that is highly critical of the decision to allow the retirement complex to be built.

A spokesman said: “Councillors approved text that criticises Maldon District Council planning officers for failing to abide by Burnham’s neighbourhood development plan and their own local development plan.

“It declares a ‘loss of confidence in the ability and willingness’ of the officers to ‘deliver on the letter or spirit’ of the plans.”

The district council responded to the criticism, saying its local development plan had been ratified by the secretary of state and clearly sets out its policy for development across the district, which was applied in a consistent manner by the authority.