CAMPAIGNERS forced into a second wasted journey inside a month have described the council as a "shambles".

Twelve members of the Creekside Forum have twice gone to Greenwich Town Hall, hoping to have their say on the proposed Borthwick Wharf development.

But both times the item has been pulled from the agenda at the last minute, without any prior warning being given to the campaigners.

Borthwick was due to be discussed by Greenwich's planning board on Thursday night but was dropped because councillors have new information they want to consider.

Three weeks earlier the first proposed meeting was cancelled, to enable councillors to undertake a site visit.

The Creekside Forum says its members some of whom are due to speak at the hearing should have been told of any cancellation before the meeting.

Forum chairman Bill Ellson said: "Greenwich Council is a complete shambles. Why can't they tell us it is going to be deferred before?

"I had an offer to go to a do on Thursday night but I ended up making what proved to be a wasted journey."

Mr Ellson says planning officers are treating councillors "like mushrooms", by keeping them in the dark and failing to feed them enough information.

He added: "The delay is extremely frustrating. It just keeps going backwards and forwards.

"We will be going along to the next meeting in the hope they have got their house in order."

The proposal would see the wharf destroyed, with 247 flats built in blocks up to 18 storeys high.

The forum has joined groups including the Royal Parks and the Greenwich Society in opposing the development, claiming it will affect views of London landmarks from Greenwich Park.

Greenwich Council says its procedures state any decision to defer a planning item must be made on the night of the meeting.