A £65 MILLION town centre shopping precinct could “take years and years and years” to be built, it has been warned.

Christopher Katkowski QC, who is representing the Tollgate Village bosses at a planning appeal into the controversial proposed retail park, also argued the long-awaited Vineyard Gate shopping centre is not a “viable or suitable” alternative to the £70 million Stanway scheme.

During a heated line of questioning yesterday, Mr Katkowski grilled Ian Anderson, who represents Rule 6 parties’ Fenwick’s as well as town centre landowners CBRE Global Investments and M&G Investments.

He attacked the idea put forward by the landowners and Colchester Council that Vineyard Gate would be an alternative site to the Tollgate West site.

Mr Katkowski contended the town centre scheme was “speculative” and told the appeal although Colchester Council does own the largest portion of the development site, the rest is divided between up to 28 owners.

He added: “It is right to say, isn’t it, at present Vineyard Gate is not available?”

Mr Anderson agreed but added it would be available within two and a half years although he admitted it is likely to need compulsory purchase order powers to complete.

But Mr Katkowski said: “If you are the person who owns the last plot of land needed for Vineyard Gate, you would hold out for ransom.

“Putting an actual timescale on it is speculative.

“The fact is it is going to take years and years and years, won’t it?

“It just takes one objection from those 28 landowners who sees a chance to get a better offer and hold it up.”

During the hearing, Mr Anderson argued the town centre site could accommodate two thirds of the proposed 16,390sq metre retail floor space at Tollgate Village, which would provide a “reasonable, flexible and approximate” alternative, as is set out in Government planning guidelines.

But Mr Katkowski - who argued Vineyard Gate could only accommodate about 54 per cent of the floor space - told appeal inspector Ken Barton even a two third reduction would not be enough.

Questioning Mr Anderson, he said: “I don’t want toy to appear foolish but are you seriously saying two thirds of the floor space that we propose can be described as approximate to 100 per cent of what we have applied for?”

Mr Anderson replied: “Yes, I think two thirds is reasonable.”

Figures submitted to the appeal by Mr Anderson showed two thirds of Tollgate Village’s 16,390sq metre retail floor space is 10,817sq metres.

Plans show the Vineyard Gate scheme will have about 10,800 sq metres of retail floor space.

The Tollgate Village appeal is expected to conclude tomorrow.

A decision will be published before August 4.