CAMPAIGNERS have vowed to continue their fight against plans to build 265 homes on the green belt after the decision was delayed again.

Members of the Jotmans Action Group made the pledge, after developer Persimmon Homes asked for the appeal hearing to be postponed for a second time.

Plans for the homes, which would be built on land south of Jotmans Lane, were thrown out by Castle Point Council last October, after 580 objections were lodged.

They were initially delayed until February, 2015, but have now been postponed until at least May.

The move comes as developers argued the inquiry must wait for the High Court decision on plans to build 165 homes at Glebelands.

The High Court case, which was set to be heard in November but will now be held in March, will discuss the extent to which there is a planning policy basis for a green belt in the borough – which would have a direct impact on the Jotmans case as that was one of the reasons councillors used to refuse the plans.

Both sites have been earmarked for potential housing in the council’s draft local plan.

But Tom Smith, who is a member of the Jotmans Action Group, said: “The group has been dealing with this for well over four to five years now and every time when it is not suitable for developers they postpone it.

“The bottom line is it is green belt and it is farm land, but effectively it is all being swallowed up, the rural areas and countryside are slowly getting swallowed up in the urban sprawl.

“It seems as though they are waiting for the general election, that is almost certainly what they have done, they will delay until a time that suits them.”

Conservative AndrewSheldon, who is ward councillor for St Mary’s, said: “I am angered the developers have so much disregard for the democratic will of Castle Point.

“It is just dragging out the uncertainty, residents want closure.

“Whatever the date of the hearing, I and my ward councillors will stand shoulder to shoulder with residents.”

He said he would be talking to Castle Point Council officers about their agreement to delay the hearing, but a council spokesman said the agreement had always been that Glebelands must be decided first and councillors were fully briefed.

MP Rebecca Harris said: “I am very disappointed residents will be left in limbo for several more months, just because the developer seems to want to take a gamble on a change of Government.”

A Persimmon Homes spokesman said: “The courts have postponed the Glebelands case until next year.

“The outcome of this case is of crucial significance to the appeal that Persimmon Homes has submitted.

“To avoid putting the council to any unnecessary cost we have decided that the best course of action is to delay the appeal until the Glebelands case is determined.”