A DECISION following last year's public inquiry into Alcester's proposed 400 homes development is to be delayed.

The Government Office for the West Midlands received the inspector's report following the inquiry on February 27 and Government targets dictate a decision was due to be made this week.

But a number of documents have been mislaid, which will prolong the outcome.

Mayor Eric Payne confirmed the town council recently received a letter requesting the resubmission of some documents.

He said: "All the town council's documents were handed in at the inquiry. We are very concerned part of our case has been mislaid.

"We have put a lot of time and money into the appeal and feel a decision cannot be made until they have all the documents.

"It is now in the hands of our solicitor and we are awaiting a response from the Government department as to which documents it needs."

A spokesman for the Government Office for the West Midlands said: "The Government has set a target of deciding 80 per cent of planning appeals within eight weeks of receipt of the inspector's report following the local inquiry, and the remainder within 13 weeks.

"However, a number of the documents listed as appended to the report were not received on that date and this has consequently delayed the consideration of the appeal.

"All but two of these documents have subsequently been obtained and the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions is now is a position to proceed.

"Copies of the two remaining documents have been requested from the parties who submitted them for the inquiry."