CAMPAIGNERS will be given just nine minutes to state their case against the proposed redevelopment of Colchester so-called Cultural Quarter... despite the scheme amassing more than 700 objections.

Colchester Council has announced three speakers will have just three minutes each on either side of the debate when Alumno’s plans for the St Botolph’s area are debated by the planning committee on Thursday.

The council has acknowledged the plans have “generated a significant amount of public interest” and says the rules have been varied to allow the public to speak on the application only.

Campaigner Alan Short has helped spearhead the campaign against the 336-bed student rooms development, which also includes an 87-bed Travelodge hotel, retail units and public space.

Mr Short said the decision on the number of speakers was a “travesty”.

“When you think there are over 1,000 pages of submissions by Alumno and more than 700 objections it is difficult for everybody to be able to put their points forward in nine minutes,” he said.

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“Everybody who turns up for the meeting can put their name down to speak and we will then have to decide who represents us best.

“We have some great objections behind us. The owners of Greyfriars Hotel is one but the trouble is it is hard to explain planning matters in three minutes.

“We have an internationally renowned architect who wants to speak, but we don’t know if they’ll be able to.

“The whole thing is a farce and we will not be able to make our voices heard because we will not have the time to do it.”

At the turn of the year developer Alumno submitted a raft of amended documents relating to a number of changes to the controversial scheme.

The number of student rooms was reduced slightly, the western edge of the new buildings was moved 2.5 metres back from the historic Roman wall and the skyline was amended.

The changes did little to satisfy protestors, and both iterations of the scheme together have had a combined 723 objections submitted on the planning portal.