The on-going battle for Brindles Wood continues with an inquiry into Brentwood Council's refusal to allow the London Borough of Newham to build on the Hutton site.

A government-appointed inspector, Mr A.J. Bingham, opened a public inquiry and heard representations from all parties involved in the dispute, including concerned residents.

Newham council is appealing against Brentwood's decision to reject three separate planning applications.

The result of the two-day inquiry may not be known for weeks, if not months.

The hearing follows an inquiry last month by a government environment inspector, which determined that Brindles Wood should not be designated Metropolitan Green Belt land.

"It is incredibly tiresome," said Mrs Marion Barlow, secretary of the Brindles Wood Residents Association.

"This has been going on since 1993. We seem to be fighting the same old issues over and over again."

Chairman Mrs Judith Hargreaves added: "It would be impossible to say how the inquiry went, but I think Brentwood Borough Council and the residents did make a very powerful case for rejecting the three proposals.

"In the past, it has been several weeks at least before we have learned the results of such inquiries. I very, very much hope that the inspector will listen to the points which the residents and the council made."

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