CITING "legal reasons", planning bosses last night called off a meeting about the future of a derelict pub - just minutes before it was due to start.

Members of Lewisham Council's planning committee were due to decide whether or not to allow the demolition of the former Green Man Pub, in Bromley Road, Catford.

Local resident and campaigner Bob Chambers gives his reaction.

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But more than 30 residents were told just before the meeting was due to start that the item had been dropped from the agenda.

Planning officer Pete Smith apologised to everyone who had had a wasted journey and promised he would write to residents to give them a full explanation.

He told them he had been in "high talks" with the council's head of law all afternoon and was not in a position to disclose anything until he had informed planning committee members on why it was being deferred.

The planning application, put forward by developers Renewal Beckenham Ltd, is to demolish the pub to make way for four and five storey flats with 45 parking spaces.

The council says it has received 51 objections to date but residents have now signed a petition with more than 300 signatures opposing the plans.

One resident, Colin Lunn, 83, of Watermead Road, Southend, who is also a member of the Catford Southend Residents' Association, said: "There are hundreds of people within the association, which objects to the proposals, which is more than 51 the council is talking about.

"It's interesting they realise there are legal difficulties which need addressing before it gets to this stage again."

Speaking after the cancellation, Whitefoot ward councillor Cathy Priddey told News Shopper: "Nobody gave us any indication that there was any problem at 3.30pm. We spoke to the same guy who has just come out and told us it was off. Something has happened between 4pm and now.

"This is clearly a contentious development seeing the number of people that have come down and I will be finding out what these legal reasons are."

Fellow Whitefoot councillor Dan Houghton added: "I'm very concerned about the reasons why they have called off the meeting, especially concerned for the elderly that have come down especially.

"I'll be writing to the council to find out even it means using the Freedom of Information Act."

Some speculate one of the legal reasons could be a covenant dating back to 1928 which exists within the land registry.

The land registry states: "Not to do or cause or permit to be done upon the said premises or any part thereof anything which may be or grow to be a nuisance or annoyance to the vendor or the tenants of the vendor or the neighbourhood and in particular to the Vicar for the time being of St John's."

The current rector, Father Clive French of St John's, Bromley Road, Catford, was at the meeting last night and was interested in seeing a copy of the land registry.

He said: "If there is a restrictive covenant in the deeds held by the land register it would require the diocese authorities to look at it and decide what to do.

"If it still stands, watch this space."

A Lewisham Council spokesman failed to shed any extra light on the issue: "There is an issue relating to the substance of the report on which the council is seeking further legal opinion. We hope that obtaining this opinion will not cause significant delay and the matter will be brought back for decision as soon as possible."