With the refit complete, the canopy up and the cups at the ready, Caffé Nero opened its doors in Petersfield three weeks ago - the only thing missing was planning permission.

And only on Thursday night were district planners set to discuss the coffee shop giant's bid to redevelop one of the town's oldest shops.

But at the last minute, in a move that denied any public discussion or dissent on the high street chain's decision to disregard the planning process, these applications were withdrawn from the agenda.

All permissions have now been granted under delegated powers, with the agreement of the local member, councillor Hilary Ayer.

Only Petersfield town councillors have voiced concerns that the development was allowed to go ahead, in a conservation area, in the centre of Petersfield, without any planning permission at all.

Last month town councillors slammed Caffé Nero for showing "no respect" for the people of Petersfield.

This week a senior town councillor told The Herald he was "dismayed" that the applications were not discussed in public.

Ken Hick, who described the actions of Caffé Nero as "bullying tactics" and "planning by stealth", said the public had now been denied its opportunity to voice concern.

"I would certainly have thought it would have been prudent to have an open discussion on it to give the public some chance of understanding the process," he said.

"It showed a lack of respect for the people of Petersfield. By any stretch of the imagination these are bullying tactics and I am sure that ordinary people don't go much on that."

He added: "The opportunity will not be there for people to voice their opinion on this sort of thing. I am dismayed."

The news came in the same week as East Hampshire District Council boasted of a court injunction against a development in Oakhanger - because the developers did not have planning permission and had ignored a stop notice.

At a hearing at Portsmouth County Court on August 26, Judge Shawcross confirmed the injunction obtained by East Hampshire District Council against Mr and Mrs James Searle on August 19.

Nick Leach, the council's solicitor, told the court that district council officers visited the land adjacent to Oakhanger Stream, Shortheath Common, Oakhanger on August 3 and found that a substantial building was in the early stages of construction. Since planning permission had not been obtained for the building and associated hardstanding, EHDC served a stop notice on August 5.

Occupiers of the land continued work on the building despite the stop notice, even though it is a criminal offence to do so. This led to the district council obtaining an ex parte injunction prior to a full hearing on Thursday. At the full hearing Mr Searle told the court that the building was needed for his business which includes the stabling of horses.

The planning portfolio holder, Patrick Burridge, said: "The confirmation of the injunction by a circuit judge fully endorsed the action taken by the planning authority against this flagrant breach of planning control. Such action was necessary to protect the environment and for the proper planning of the district."

Mr Burridge told The Herald this week that the key difference between the two cases was enforcement action.

"To go ahead and do something without planning permission at that stage was not illegal," he said.

"If something has the prospect of being permitted we are unlikely to take enforcement action until the application has been dealt with."

In the case of Caffé Nero, planning officers recommended permission for both the change of use to a coffee shop and the internal alterations and replacement windows.

EHDC's conservation officer, Andrew Dick, confirmed in his report that pre-application discussions and on-site meetings had taken place due to possible enforcement action where some works had already been carried out.

He added that he was satisfied with the proposals and recommended approval.

Caffé Nero's financial director, Ben Price, told The Herald last month that the company had been talking to district councillors and conservation officers at every stage of the development.