THURROCK Council has defended its process and denied any breach of transparency or unfairness following the rejection of a planning application for a new café in Corringham.

As reported on Thurrock Nub News earlier this month a bid to open a desserts speciality shop on Grover Walk under the brand OMG Desserts.

The decision was made by officers who produced a report that detailed objections to the scheme in full, but only summarised support. This led to suggestions that the council was not being balanced.

However, the authority says it has done everything according to the rules and it does not believe any planning infringement has taken place, nor was there any bias. One of the objections came from local ward councillor Shane Ralph.

A spokesperson for Thurrock Council said: "The planning decision is that 'The application would result in two non-A1 uses next to each other and take the overall level of non-A1 shops to 33.3% of the total of shops. Therefore the proposal would not accord with Policy SH10 of the Local Plan 1997 and CSTP7 and CSTP8 of the Core Strategy and would undermine the retail function of this shopping area.'

"The report identifies the issues raised in support of, and in objection to, the planning application. These responses to the application are reported in bullet point form and highlight the main issues raised for and against the proposal. Given that the letters of support and objection were reported in the same manner, the council is satisfied that the report illustrates a balanced consultation process."