PROTESTORS are vowing to carry on their campaign against hundreds of proposed new homes as a long-running saga looks set to rumble on into the summer.

The vow comes following the news that an inquiry into the decision by Braintree Council to reject a developer’s bid to build 300 houses in Bocking Churchstreet will reopen in May.

A week-long inquiry took place last June after Gladman launched an appeal, but a decision has still not been reached due to a change in government planning rules.

Two further days of the inquiry will now be heard.

The Keep Bocking Beautiful protest group, which has been campaigning against the homes, revealed the news to members in a letter.

It says: “As yet the government inspector has not made a ruling on the Church Street, Bocking, planning application.

“There was a major change in the National Planning and Policy Framework which was re-issued by the Government late last year and a number of planning rules changed, one of the major ones being land supply calculations.

“As a result of this we were informed this week by the Government Planning Inspectorate that the planning inquiry will reopen for an additional two days on May 9 and 10.

“This additional inquiry will be limited to dealing solely with housing land supply and associated policy implications.

“Once again it will be up to all of us, together with family, friends and neighbours, to ensure that we make our opposition to this application known by erecting our posters signs and banners saying ‘no’ to this development and if possible attend the inquiry opening each day with a silent picket at the entrance and, if possible, some inside the inquiry itself.

“Braintree District Council and our planning department are fully against this application and we will once again have a chance to make representations at the inquiry.”

Last June the inquiry took place at Howard Hall in Bocking but it is expected to take place at Braintree Town Hall when it reopens this year.

A Braintree Council spokesman said: “The inspector has decided to re-open the inquiry to discuss the implications of the revised national planning policy framework – in particular housing land supply.

“It will also allow each party an opportunity to set out their case on housing land supply and for this to be properly examined.

“We will continue to robustly defend our decision to refuse planning permission for this development for reasons around the significant adverse impact upon the landscape and character of the area.”