Maidenhead United land deal to be reviewed

Maidenhead United has played at its York Road ground since 1871

A deal to sell council land for a new football stadium is to be reviewed.

Maidenhead United FC agreed in 2022 to buy land at Braywick Park for £460,000.

The Royal Borough Council scrutiny panel members voted to refer the deal back to a council officer to be reconsidered.

The borough's executive director for place, Andrew Durrant, said consultations over the deal would continue once a planning application was submitted.

Several sports facilities, including Maidenhead Rugby Club, are already based at Braywick Park

The National League club would buy nine acres (four hectares) from the borough on a 999-year lease, subject to it gaining planning permission, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

It has previously said it needed to move out of its current home in York Road, which has been in use since 1871 and is the oldest continuously-used football ground in the world, in order to achieve its ambitions.

The council published an open space notice for two weeks in April 2022, attracting 22 objections.

The place overview and scrutiny panel unanimously voted for Mr Durrant to consider revaluing the land and holding a more rigorous public consultation.

Braywick Park is Maidenhead's largest public open space and much of it is already used by sports clubs.