THE first 'shot across the bows' against the big development plan for the old Squires Garden Centre site in Maidenhead Road has been fired.

Members of Bray Parish Council this week overwhelmingly rejected the plan by Bewley Homes to put 39 homes on the green belt site which was once occupied by the garden centre.

Parish members only have the power to recommendation the plan be refused, while it is the Royal Borough which will have to make a formal decision.

The Bewley plan is significant because the Royal Borough is considering freeing up the old Squires Garden site for homes despite its green belt status, if its proposed new Borough Plan wins Government approval.

The Borough Plan could still end up being modified if the Government demands changes.

Cllr Chris Graham, the deputy chairman of Bray Parish Council, said: "We don't know if the old Squires Garden site will feature in the proposed plan when it is finally approved.

"So we made our decision on the basis of the existing local plan."

He said councillors felt Bewley development plan was unlikely to be agreed by the borough even if the proposed Borough Plan did get the go-ahead - because it was far too dense, out of character for the area and likely to prove dangerous because of the proximity of busy Maidenhead Road.