LONDONDERRY — Project officials hinted that another delay might be in order when it comes to the much-anticipated public hearing for the sprawling town village project known as Woodmont Commons.

As of midday on Tuesday, the project was still scheduled to head before public hearing during the Wednesday night Planning Board meeting.

“At this moment, we’re still scheduled for the hearing,” attorney John Michels, who represents the project’s developers, said on Tuesday.

However, when asked whether the developer would seek an additional continuation, Michels said “yes, it’s definitely possible.”

The attorney said another delay could prove a necessary evil as project officials continue to coordinate with the town.

“It’s an enormous project, and there’s never been anything like it around here,” Michels said. “So this might happen now or it might happen later … but we want to make sure everything is right between us and the town.”

On Tuesday morning, Planning Board Chairman Arthur Rugg referred all inquiries to Planning and Economic Development Director Andre Garron.

“I have the completed application (for Woodmont) here before me now,” Garron said.

Asked whether he believed the hearing would or should be continued, Garron was hesitant to answer, noting that project officials “are in a better position to answer that question than I am.”

He stressed that the expansive project has proven a challenging process for developers and town officials alike.

“I think both parties would love to have a resolution here,” Garron said. “I’d like to see this be before public hearing one way or another, but it’s certainly their right to put forth another continuation request before the board.”

The decision on whether to accept that request ultimately rests with the Planning Board, he said.

Jack Falvey, a homeowner living near the development site who has been a vocal critic of the project since its introduction, offered his own theory on the repeated delays.

“The art show proposed by the developers that we’ve been asked to use as a basis for massive zoning changes obviously could not be built,” Falvey said on Tuesday. “Asking for engineering detail seems to have stopped them in their tracks. The pretty pictures must now go back to the drawing boards so we can finally see what’s up.”

“It’s not reassuring that someone wanting to change Londonderry forever can’t put his cards on the table,” he added.

In mid-July, the board granted Woodmont commons officials the most recent continuation request, with little discussion among the board.

At the time, project attorneys cited the need for “additional time to further refine the submissions while avoiding the scheduling of a public hearing during summer vacation season.”

The continuation process has been a regular theme over the past year.

In late March, another continuance was granted to Pillsbury Realty Development after the developer’s legal representatives expressed concern that the third-party review contractor hired by the town, Howard/Stein Hudson, had failed to keep them in the loop on their review process.

Other continuations followed in May and June.

Project officials said they expect the 600-acre, $1 billion development to be completed over the course of several phases, turning acres of former orchard land into a sprawling village of 1,300 new homes as well as offices, hotels, retail and agricultural areas.

According to the Woodmont Commons’ project website, www.woodmontcommons.com, the initial plan is to build over a 20-year period, averaging about 60 new housing units each year.

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April Guilmet may be reached at AGuilmet@newstote.com.