LONG-AWAITED plans for a multi-million pound development on the Kingston Mill site in Bradford on Avon have been delayed again.

After a design workshop chaired by The Prince's Trust in July last year, which aimed to resolve differences between the town and developer Taylor Woodrow, it was hoped a planning application would be made in October.

This was delayed until January but now it is not expected until the end of next month.

Deputy mayor Peter Leach, who has been heavily involved in a monthly consultation process between the developers and key town groups, said: "I think in fairness the original schedule that was agreed was a very, very tough schedule and I am hoping the delays have been positive.

"It's better to get a planning application in February that has got some balance to it and has got a chance of going ahead. It's a big site that a lot of people have got a lot of interests in and there have been a lot of issues to discuss."

Gerald Milward-Oliver, chairman of the Bradford and District Community Development Trust, said there were still areas of the development under discussion.

He said: "Where there is still uncertainty is over the total area of non-residential usage and also the volume and density and scale of the residential part of the site."

Members of key groups in Bradford have pushed for larger areas of the site to be reserved for community and commercial use but this has to be balanced with the developer's need to make a profit from residential housing.

The town's museum society and Artsmill steering group have shown interest in The Vaults building in the town centre and a hotel, convenience store, restaurant and wine bar, as well as offices, are expected to be built on the Lamb Yard part of the development.

The remainder of the former mills is likely to be devoted to residential housing but Mr Milward-Oliver said the density of the housing was also a concern.

"We don't want to have a site that is so crammed in with houses that it really is a rabbit warren," he said.

Levels of social housing on the site are also still in question. West Wiltshire District Council policy guidelines say developers should devote 30 per cent of homes for social housing but Taylor Woodrow's plans are for a far lower level.

A spokesman for Taylor Woodrow confirmed that a planning application is expected in late February and said delays had been caused by the extensive public consultation carried out.