PLANS for the £70 million Tollgate Village retail and leisure park could be blocked after a last minute High Court challenge.

The controversial development was given the go ahead by a Government boss last month after initial plans were refused by Colchester Council last year.

But Colchester Council, along with High Street store Fenwick and Lion Walk Property S.A.R.L, were given six weeks to request a judicial review into the scheme.

A request from Fenwick and the shopping centre owners was submitted late on Friday.

Their request centres on the "significant impact" Tollgate Village would have on the "commercial and cultural sectors of Colchester town centre".

They also warn the decision to give the scheme the go-ahead would set an "extraordinary precedent" for town centres across the UK.

Daniel Watts and Jayne Gee, directors of Tollgate Partnership Ltd, said: “Obviously, we are very disappointed that Fenwick and Lion Walk Property S.A.R.L. feel the need to challenge the Secretary of State’s decision.

“This again delays the economic benefits, jobs and sustainable facilities that we are going to bring to Colchester.”

The pair added: “The public support for Tollgate Village has been overwhelming and we know thousands of our supporters throughout the borough will share our frustration that the people of Colchester could lose out at the eleventh hour.

“This is despite years of negotiations with Colchester Council, detailed debates in planning committees, public consultations, petitions and an extraordinarily thorough planning appeal.”

Hugo Fenwick, Group Trading Director at Fenwick, said: "As key stakeholders in the town centre, we are all extremely concerned by the rationale of the decision taken by the inspector which was endorsed by the Secretary of State.

"As this application has been refused on two occasions by Colchester Borough Council and where the inspector recognised that this scheme was directly contrary to the local development plan, it is critical that the decision to uphold the appeal is challenged in the High Court due to the significant impact that will be caused to the commercial and cultural sectors of Colchester town centre as well as the extraordinary precedent it will set for all town centres across the UK."

A Colchester Council spokesman said: “While we are aware a number of town centre businesses have applied for a judicial review of the Tollgate Village appeal decision, we have only just received the submitted papers and are taking our own advice.

“It appears there are a number of disputed legal matters in how the appeal inspector and the Secretary of State reached their decision which those applying for a judicial review are now seeking a judge’s view on.

“We would clearly support any determination arising from this process that clarifies the appropriate interpretation of planning law.”

The case will be heard later in the year.