CALA Homes has been asked to rethink its plans for the former Molson Coors brewery site or risk facing a planning officer recommendation for refusal.

Alton Town Council has received confirmation that East Hampshire District Council planners have written to Cala’s agents setting out options regarding their hybrid application for mixed-use development on the key 12.8 acre town centre site.

The news follows an unusual move last month when the town council stepped in to challenge the proposed development which, it said, did not live up to public expectation.

During an extraordinary meeting on October 2 it had become clear that the public were deeply disappointed with the hybrid application for mixed-use development on the Turk Street site.

Agreeing with the Alton Society that Cala and Coors were about to blow “a golden opportunity to create a lasting legacy for the town”, councillors were adamant that the proposal before them did not reflect the needs of the community and its rich brewing history.

Nor did it follow the development brief, approved by East Hampshire planners in 2016, and supported by public consultation and stakeholder input.

The plan, they said, failed to deliver in terms of community facilities, aspiration and appearance, and they agreed to take the unprecedented step of asking Cala Homes, Molson Coors and EHDC planners to “think again”.

A Cala Homes spokesperson told the Herald: “We understand the importance of this site for Alton. We have received comments from EHDC on our application and our recent meetings with them have been very productive. We are working on a series of amendments to our proposal, which will be submitted in due course.”