POLICE have criticised a plan from developer Jones Homes for the building of 98 homes on land at the Last Drop in Bromley Cross.

After reading a crime impact statement relating to the controversial plans, the force said that it ‘cannot support the application in its current form’.

In a response attached to the online planning application, police said the statement, produced for Jones by Sedgwick Associates, did not contain enough crime data, detail of crime prevention methods or security specification or security standards for the development.

The response adds: “The report does not contain certified crime data that is required to inform the risk assessment for the development.

“This then impacts on the rest of the assessment as it lacks credible evidence-based data to inform the developer of required crime prevention measures to incorporate within the scheme.”

The police added: “The current submitted report lacks listed and tested design solutions based on the current crime trends in the area.

"There is currently no information included within the report that lists the physical security specification for the development or security standards that will need to be achieved in order to deliver a robust and secure completed build.”

The council debate on the housing scheme has been pushed back from next week to the New Year. It is understood that the applicant is considering which of the plots will be offered as affordable housing.Jones may now be required to submit a more thorough crime impact statement.