HARWICH has been told it can have a cash windfall, controversially spent in Clacton, back if it finds a suitable scheme within six years.

Last week the Standard revealed more than a £100,000 of Section 106 money generated from a housing estate development in Dovercourt had been spent buying a house in Clacton.

Harwich councillors were told the money, which came from the Taylor Wimpey homes in Heron Way, had to be spent out of the town otherwise it could have been lost.

But Tendring Council planning boss Carlo Guglielmi has said there is still hope for the money to come back to Harwich, if a suitable project is found within six years.

This is because while the money is allocated to the purchase in Clacton it will now be in a holding pot as part of legal conditions.

Mr Guglielmi said: “We prefer to spend the money where it originated but if the projects don’t come forward - the money has a shelf life, an expiry date - we are duty bound to return it to the developer."