COUNCILLORS have assured residents plans for a youth shelter will still go ahead.

A proposal for a £9,000 structure for youngsters to congregate under on disused land at the British Telecom compound in Riverside Avenue East, Manningtree made by the Three Parishes Trust was given the green light in August.

However building has been held up by BT failing to complete the requisite paperwork.

Three Parishes Trust chairman Penny Hughes-Stanton said: “It has taken all this time because BT has failed to sign it off. The secretary of the Three Parishes has been pressuring them to give their consent and after that we can start.

“The builders are ready and when we get consent and it should take two weeks.”

BT was unavailable for comment.