A FINAL decision on a bid to build a housing estate at Walthamstow Stadium is unlikely to be made until July at the earliest, it has emerged.

Labour councillors approved controversial plans for 294 homes at the site in Chingford Road, Chingford, at a heated meeting last month despite opposition from residents and MPs.

But due to the size of the development it must be referred to London mayor Boris Johnson before construction can begin.

He can either "call in" the application for further consideration or he can do nothing and allow it to go ahead.

The mayor's office initially said he would make a decision within 14 days of the council meeting, but has since said it needs to receive relevant paperwork from the council first.

However a council spokesman has now told the Guardian it will probably be several weeks before it can send the documents.

Meanwhile the housing association behind the plans, London and Quadrant (L&Q), has reportedly refused to meet with an anonymous businessman who is offering to buy the site for £16 million and wants to reopen it with greyhound racing.

The news comes as campaigners from across the political spectrum continue to urge residents to lobby Mr Johnson.

Liberal Democrat councillors have joined the Conservative MP for Chingford Iain Duncan Smith and Walthamstow Labour MP Stella Creasy by writing to the mayor asking him to ditch the plans.

Lib Dem Leader Cllr Bob Sullivan said: “No doubt the council is rubbing its hands together ready to receive [from L&Q] £4 million of section 106 money that it can spend on its pet projects locally, but that is nothing compared to the cost to the local community if these proposals go ahead.”

However campaigners who are against any return of racing to the stadium, which closed in 2008, are also urging the public to write in.

Mark Dawes of the Waltham Forest and Redbridge Green Party said in a letter to Mr Johnson: “Dog racing is a cruel sport...please review the proposed L&Q scheme on its merits without considering that any alternative scheme involving a dog track offers a long term solution to Waltham Forest - it does not.”

Click here to follow the Waltham Forest Guardian on Twitter

Click here to follow the Waltham Forest Guardian on Facebook