A decision on whether Ingrebourne Hill should be merged with Hornchurch Country Park by creating a damp of “inert” waste will be further delayed after an inspector concluded more evidence is needed.

The controversial plans submitted by Ingrebourne Valley Ltd to re-design the landscape of the site with construction material were debated at Havering Town Hall on December 17 after the applicant appealed the council’s decision last year to reject the proposals.

But Inspector Stuart Nixon decided last week the appeal should be resumed as an inquiry to provide “expert evidence” from third parties to inform his decision.

The Environmental Agency will be requested to provide information on the effects of the waste, which already compose the site, and the impact of the plans on the site’s water and ecological assets.

The agency would be asked to set-out conditions the Inspector could impose on the Forestry Commission, which would restore the site by planting trees to provide “a managed woodland area”.

He also wants to establish the exact volume of waste, which would be damped on the site, and the impact on traffic and highway security.

The Inspector’s spokesperson says the Inspector is certain “this is the best way forward” and described the decision “in the interests of securing the necessary level of technical information and scrutiny together with the wider public perspective”.

The inquiry should last three days and no date has yet been set.