Appeal is lodged over £55m redevelopment of St James' Hospital in Portsmouth

Developer PJ Livesey, which last year publicly criticised the council over the length of time it was taking to consider the scheme, formally submitted its appeal for non-determination earlier this month.

Its case is due to be considered by a government planning inspector in November who could issue a decision instead of the council. The company said it would not comment on the appeal.

The developer submitted its planning application in early 2020 and previously said it was disappointed that a decision had yet to be reached.

'We are frustrated that the proposals have not yet been determined but hopeful that they will be considered at the planning committee on September 29,' a spokesman said in August last year.

The application for the £55m development did not go before the committee until January this year when councillors voted to defer their decision due to concerns about the level of information submitted with it.

The council said it could not comment on a planning appeal but senior councillors have said they are 'surprised' at the decision to appeal.

'They told us that they did not want to go down this route,' council leader and Milton councillor Gerald Vernon-Jackson said. 'I'm disappointed because I had hoped they would come back with a plan that better suits the needs of the community.'

Fellow ward councillor and cabinet member Steve Pitt echoed his concerns but said all applicants had a right to appeal.

The application proposes the construction of more than 200 homes on the hospital grounds.

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As previously reported, a last-minute call had been made to reject the controversial plans amid concerns over the ‘lack’ of affordable housing in the scheme.

Speaking in January, Cllr Vernon-Jackson said negotiations were ongoing around how much affordable housing it would include and said the majority of concerns that prompted councillors to defer a decision still unresolved.

He said: ‘Some amendments have been made but they’ve not change a lot. Two of the main concerns were around the loss of protected trees and the three homes proposed in the woodland area.’

The council has been trying to consider it at the same time as a Homes England scheme for a separate part of the site. Cllr Vernon-Jackson said the government agency had yet to provide all the information needed for it to be considered meaning it was still not ready to make a decision.

Support for the scheme has been given by the NHS which said the Grade II-listed buildings were no longer suitable for 'modern mental health services' and said the sale of the site would save it £1.6m a year in maintenance costs.

But the application has been met with significant opposition from campaigners who have warned it would have a 'significant' impact on the area.

A deadline of October 25 has been set for evidence to be submitted for the appeal ahead of an inquiry taking place on November 22. A decision will be issued by the inspector in the following weeks.