Plans for a controversial new Virgin leisure complex in Thundersley hang in the balance after the Government ordered a public inquiry into the scheme.

Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott ruled an inquiry must be held before deciding whether to grant permission for Richard Branson's Virgin Active Centre.

The leisure complex planned for Rayleigh Road has sparked mixed feelings from residents.

Frank Reed, managing director for Virgin Active, said the company was now considering its options.

Mr Prescott has been looking at the application since plans for the leisure centre were agreed by Castle Point Council in November.

A date and place for the inquiry are yet to be confirmed, but it is not expected to take place for several months.

Representations will be made from both sides to a Government inspector who will oversee the inquiry.

Mr Reed said: "Obviously we are extremely disappointed with the news that the Government office now wishes to hold a public inquiry about our application to build a Virgin Active Life Centre in Castle Point.

"Not only were we hoping to provide a fantastic and much-needed leisure club for local residents, but we were also prepared to invest heavily to improve road safety and other council-run leisure facilities in the area.

"Our proposal had the support of the local authorities and by the vast majority of local residents who welcomed such investment in the area. We will now be reviewing our options before deciding our next course of action."

Council leader Dave Wells said he was disappointed by the decision. He said: "I think this is against what the council wants, but obviously this has got to happen and there is nothing we can do about it.

"I think it would be a shame if Virgin pulled out now. It is the sort of development we want in Castle Point."

Councillor Dennis Williams, chairman of the planning committee, said: "The council has taken a democratic process and decided to approve it. Although the secretary of state decided to call it in it does not mean he is going to throw it out.

"But whatever decision he makes, we will abide by it."

Labour MP for Castle Point, Christine Butler , said: "I would welcome a public inquiry as the best and fairest way of dealing with this issue.

"It was premature and wrong of Virgin Active to destroy the badger holes in the way they did.

"I have only had two letters in support of the complex and one writer has now withdrawn her letter and changed her mind. I have received over a hundred letters of objection."

(Right) Modern - an artists impression of the new centre

Virgin land - the site for the new leisure complex

Branson's complex now faces a Government hearing

The fate of Richard Branson's Virgin Active blueprint today rested with an inspector from John Prescott's department of the environment, transport and the regions.

The ambitious £5million proposals have been taken out of the hands of Castle Point Council for a public inquiry, reporting directly to the Deputy Prime Minister.

In a letter to Virgin Active, civil servants said: "The Secretary of State is of the opinion that the application is one that he ought to decide himself due to the possible conflict with national policy guidance.....on Green Belts relating to inappropriate development in the Green Belt."

Officials from the Government Office for the East of England gave a string of reasons for the application to be "called in" for further scrutiny.

They include:

Whether the proposals are compatible with key policies shaping the future of Essex and Castle Point, particularly issues relating to the protection of Metropolitan Green Belt, the provision of sports and recreational facilities and transport

The extent to which the scale and nature of the planned leisure centre would be inappropriate in the Metropolitan Green Belt and if so, whether there are any very special circumstances which outweigh the harm that would be caused to the Green Belt if it is inappropriate in any way

The suitability of the site in terms of its physical capacity, character and appearance and relationship to the surrounding area and the impact that the development would have on neighbouring areas, landscape and wildlife of the area

The extent to which the proposals "accord" with Government planning guidance on sports and recreation and transport.

Virgin Active has now been given a deadline of six weeks to submit a statement to the Secretary of State, detailing its preliminary case for the public inquiry.

Politicians support plans for an inquiry

Political opponents of the Virgin scheme also apoproved of the inquiry decision.

Councillor Bill Scott (Labour, Cedar Hall) said: "I welcome a public inquiry. I was not happy with the way the developers had gone about their business.

"I was there protesting about the destruction of the badger sets on December 10 last year.

"I didn't like the way the company operated. When they approached English Nature to help them move the badger sets they showed them the plans for a 1988 development.

"This was a much smaller development than the one they are now planning.

"There should be a full investigation into plans for a development of this size, especially when the majority of the residents, about 600, are against it.

"They have not looked at the traffic implications properly either. Virgin have said there will be 1,200 extra cars coming in and out of the centre, and that is on a road that has had three major accidents in the last six weeks.

"It is also on a blind bend which makes it even more dangerous.

"I think Virgin should go into partnership with the council-run sports centres. It would do a lot to enhance the sporting facilities in Castle Point."

Councillor George Wilson (Labour, Cedar Hall) agreed. He said: "I have been opposed to it all along. It is in the wrong place.

"There was a lot of discussion and debate about the development but the wrong argument won.

"I am pleased it is going to be looked at again. The majority of people in my ward didn't want it.

"I got hundreds of phone calls from people asking me to stop it going ahead."

Councillor Charles Smith (Labour, Cedar Hall) said: "It is good news. The council made the wrong decision when it passed the development.

"Both the Tories and us agreed to protect the Green Belt land, we should be standing up for it not betraying it.

"I hope the Government will look at it in the same way.

"I do not think any individual would have got planning permission for such a development, but people got carried away because it was Virgin."

Labour MP for Castle Point Christine Butler said: "I would welcome a public inquiry as the best and fairest way of dealing with this issue.

"I have always said that a public inquiry was the only way to take an in depth look at the issues involved in that part of Castle Point.

"It was premature and wrong of Virgin Active to destroy the badger sets in the way they did."

Inquiry is good news for protestors

Protestors against Virgin's proposed leisure centre today welcomed news of the public inquiry.

Nearby residents have been campaigning to stop the planned development for Rayleigh Road ever since Virgin first revealed its ideas for the site.

Colin Henwood, of Prittle Close, Thundersley, said: "This is a victory for the man in the street over a big money company. I feel this is justification for all the hard work by the local residents who wrote letters of protest. We were worried this was going to be rail-roaded through.

"There are concerns about the suitability of the site as it will be on a blind bend and Virgin says it will increase vehicle movements along the Rayleigh Road by 1,200 a day.

"When the traffic study was carried out in the area the schools were all on holiday. The survey should have been done when the children were at school because it makes a big difference.

"I would like to thank councillor Bill Scott and MP Christine Butler for all their hard work."

Gill Raffaelli lives next door to the planned development and is worried about its effect on her horses who are stabled at her home.

She is overjoyed at news of the public inquiry because she feels at long last everyone will be able to have their say.

Gill said: "We will all be able to speak in public and I am confident that at long last some common sense will prevail."

The battle continues

The battle to site Virgin's new leisure centre in Thundersley has been raging for several months now with emotions running high.

Protesters have voiced their concerns on a number of occasions over plans to build the complex which will include a swimming pool, gym, and drop-in doctor's surgery.

Virgin unveiled its proposals for the site in July and gave people the chance to see plans for the scheme at an exhibition on the site

Richard Branson stepped in over the application in October when he wrote to council leader Dave Wells urging members not to dismiss the scheme

Echo readers have voted overwhelmingly in support of the Virgin complex at the beginning of November when we ran a voteline asking for people's views.

Converted for the new archive on 19 November 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.