WALTON’S controversial Mere site will not be listed as a community asset, despite a bid from residents.

An application had been launched by Walton Conservation Group to have the site added to the list, kept by Tendring Council.

If approved, it would have given the conservation group members the chance to buy the Mere from the owners if they decided to sell within five years.

The listing would not force the owners to sell or give a discount.

However, Tendring Council decided against listing the Mere as a community asset on the recommendation of its officers.

The council said it did not fulfil the criteria as it had not been used as a community resource for decades.

Council cabinet member Lynda McWilliams said: “It is clear the Mere is now disused – and is not used for community benefit either now, or has been in the recent past.”

TheMerewas once used as a popular boating lake, but has been out of action for about 40 years.

A group of residents have fiercely contested any plans to develop the beauty spot and said they were disappointed not to see it added to the community asset list.

A conservation group spokesman said: “We applied for the Walton Mere to become a community asset in order to protect it from unsympathetic development.

“It was with regret that the application failed on technical grounds. The group still opposes any development that would remove or degrade this exceptional natural asset.”