THE VOTE on a major plan that would earmark multiple sites across the Royal Borough for thousands of homes has been cancelled.

The contentious Borough Local Plan (BLP) 2013-2033 was scheduled to be voted on by councillors at an extraordinary full council meeting on December 21.

However, the council has confirmed that the “provisional date” has now been called off as there is not sufficient “lead-time” to go through the external review of the BLP.

Another extraordinary full council meeting will be scheduled “as early as possible” in the New Year.

READ MORE: Protest planned over Windsor & Maidenhead's "horrible" local plan

Cllr David Coppinger, lead member for planning, said: “The meeting date of December 21 was always marked as a provisional date, subject to the timely receipt of the independent planning inspector’s report from the planning inspectorate, which of course is not within the council’s control.

“We understand she has completed her report and it’s currently progressing through a standard internal checking process at a national level before being passed onto the council.

“While in reasonable readiness the council had prepared for the possibility of receiving the inspector’s report and holding a full council meeting this month, there is no longer the sufficient lead-time required and therefore officers have advised members that an alternative provisional date will be set as early as possible in the New Year for an extraordinary full council meeting, while they continue to liaise with the planning inspectorate.”

READ MORE: Maidenhead Great Park campaigners protest outside town hall

Campaign group Maidenhead Great Park has confirmed they are still holding their protest outside Maidenhead town hall on Tuesday, December 14, calling for councillors to reject the BLP.

Protesters have slammed the local plan as “not fit for purpose” and called building over 2,000 homes on the 132-acre Maidenhead golf course, which is earmarked in the BLP, as “insane” given the climate emergency and reduced housing need in the borough.