Controversial plans to demolish a 12th century timber-framed barn on one of Clacton's oldest properties have been refused.
Jeremy Taylor, who owns Cann Hall, wanted to knock down the dilapidated cart lodge on the land.
But he also withdrew a project to build 75 sheltered homes on Cann Hall land, which had resulted in 17 letters of objection.
It included 11 houses, 14 bungalows and 50 flats.
Planning officer Peter Le Grys said the council now had even less of an idea about what was to happen with the overall site.
He said it was important to know what was going on as a whole.
"We need to know what the cart lodge would be replaced with before we can even look at whether it could be demolished," he said.
Mr Le Grys said the barn was in a significant degree of decay and the owner had managed to get it de-listed by English Heritage.
Ward councillor Harry Shearing (Lib Dem, Bockings Elm) said: "We are concerned about the loss of what is an extremely important building."
Mr Shearing said if the cart lodge was to be demolished it needed to be replaced with the highest quality of building.
Published Thursday, June 12, 2003
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