TENDRING Council’s delayed Local Plan has taken a significant step forward and is expected to be submitted to the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government early in 2017.

The council’s Local Plan committee has paved the way for the important “issues and options” document to go before residents, businesses, developers and other groups for their views.

A series of consultation events will now be held in areas where development is proposed, as well as in Clacton and Weeley.

Tendring council leader Neil Stock said the proposed sites were “purely options” at this stage.

“We are now ready to go out to consultation on these various options so that everyone can come back with their views and suggestions,” he said.