THE future of the controversial Barton Farm scheme has been thrown into doubt by a planning inspector.

Completion of work by the city council on the local development framework (LDF), which targets development on the farmland, has been delayed after a visit by the official.

David Vickery, who visited on August 24-28, has criticised planners’ work on the LDF, the blueprint that will guide development over the next two decades. He said more time was needed to properly draw it up.

The result will be that the Barton Farm issue and other controversial schemes such as a business park at Bushfield Camp have been kicked into the political long grass until after the General Election, due by next summer.

Mr Vickery criticised the council, saying “vagueness and lack of clarity on some key policies could cause the core strategy to be found unsound – particularly the Hedge End development area, housing numbers, Bushfield Camp…”

Although the council is being rebuked, its leader George Beckett may not be unhappy. He does not want the LDF to become irreversible and so lumber him with the blame for building on Barton Farm.

A Tory victory at the General Election is likely to mean a change to the planning rules which might yet spare Barton Farm.

They have pledged to scrap the South East Plan and return decisions, like 2,000 homes on Barton Farm, to a local level.

Mr Beckett said, in a statement released before the criticism by Mr Vickery was published on Tuesday, said: “I am pleased to be able to take this opportunity for Winchester people to have more say in the future of the city and district in the event of a Conservative Government being elected next year.

But Cllr Kelsie Learney, Lib Dem group leader, said it would be dishonest for the Conservatives to claim any credit: “They didn’t decide to delay things at all. A Government planning inspector visited Winchester and told them their work was too shoddy to hit the deadlines.”

Steve Brine, Conservative prospective parliamentary candidate said: “It is not in taxpayers’ interests for the city council to spend time and money implementing Labour policies that could be scrapped within a year.”

Tory city councillor Richard Worrall, who opposes Barton Farm, said: “I’m pleased by this (Mr Beckett’s) announcement. I’ve opposed Barton Farm and will continue to do so.”

Local Liberal Democrats seized on the criticism from Mr Vickery. Martin Tod, the prospective parliamentary candidate, said: “It’s quite damning for the Conservatives and shows they cannot be trusted to protect Winchester.”

Mr Tod said it was wrong for the Tories to portray themselves as protecting the city. “No-one told the Conservatives to try to build on Bushfield Camp. That was theirs and theirs alone.”

Cala Homes, the developer which seeks to build on Barton Farm, is set to make a planning application next month. The issue will almost certainly go to appeal which would be due to be heard in mid-2010.

Gavin Blackman, of the Save Barton Farm group, said: “It is good news that the LDF has been delayed. Whether it is the panacea because decision-making will come back to a local level I’m not convinced.”