A trumpeted online questionnaire about a major development blueprint for Epping Forest received 158 responses in more than two weeks.

Despite an intensive marketing campaign around the new Local Plan from Epping Forest District Council, the official response form was only filled in on about one in 20 website visits between October 31 and November 15.

A public consultation on the plan, which could see 11,400 new homes built up to 2033, runs until December 12.

After the response figures were revealed, councillor John Philip said: “I personally think how many have responded, I don’t think it’s important at all.

“History tells us the vast majority of consultation responses arrive in the last couple of weeks of a consultation… there is a lot of information that people want to get hold of before they respond.”

He added: “I am actually quite encouraged about the number of responses there are already… I am not worried at all.”

The consultation, involving meetings, exhibitions, newsletters and paid advertising as well as the website, has so far cost £45,800.

A spokesman for the council also said the consultation is going well.

He said: “We would expect a higher proportion of responses nearer the end but the 158 as of last week proves the concept of online consultation is working well.

“Bearing in mind people have been able to read the plan since the cabinet report was published on September 27 and we are now only half way through the formal statutory six week consultation, there has been no suggestion of any need to extend the deadline beyond December 12.”

The figure of 158 online responses was revealed after the Epping Forest Guardian discovered the official consultation website did not immediately show up on the Google search engine.

When using the search term “Epping Forest Local Plan consultation” yesterday (November 21), the website - http://eppingforest.consultationonline.co.uk/ - did not show until far down the second page, although it has now been moved up the rankings.

However, the spokesman said: “A quick scan of local community groups online and via social media shows exceptionally high levels of awareness and debate.”