Hotel plan delay

Legal wrangles look set to further delay a long-running bid to turn a disused glassmaking factory into a multi-million luxury hotel complex.A scheme by developers Avada Country Homes for a 30-bedroom hotel and 23 holiday cottages in the centre of Langham has been given delegated approval by councillors at North Norfolk District Council.

Legal wrangles look set to further delay a long-running bid to turn a disused glassmaking factory into a multi-million luxury hotel complex.

A scheme by developers Avada Country Homes for a 30-bedroom hotel and 23 holiday cottages in the centre of Langham has been given delegated approval by councillors at North Norfolk District Council.

But the decision now faces the threat of being called in for judicial review after an 11th hour legal challenge by a holiday home owner.

The plan was originally given delegated approval last August but was forced back before the west development control committee on Thursday because of questions raised by lawyers acting for London-based Christopher Smith, who has a second home opposite the proposed site.

Already Ian Johnston, the man behind the scheme, says he has been forced to lay off construction workers because of the late intervention and the delays are preventing him bringing up to 60 full-time jobs to the village.

At the meeting Mr Smith said he did not believe North Norfolk District Council planning authority had fully examined all the issues before granting delegated approval in August.

But Mr Johnston accused Mr Smith of failing to accept the democratic process. He said the application was now one of the most scrutinised in recent times and accused objectors of misrepresenting the facts.

Senior planning officer Geoff Lyon told the meeting that legal advice to the council remained that the approval should be granted.

Once permission for the development is issued Mr Smith will have six weeks in which to launch legal proceedings.