Council leaders have been pushed for answers on the progress of a major town centre redevelopment after doubts were raised over its future.

Questions over the future of the Nicholson Quarter development in Maidenhead were raised after council documents suggested the now-demolished Broadway car park may not be replaced with a new one.

Councillor Gurch Singh asked leaders at the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead for an update on discussions between the council and developers on the development ‘following recent newspaper reports, and to 'clarify the next steps for the site’.

Simon Werner, the council leader, told him the council was ‘continuing to work’ with the developer Areli. He added that there could be changes to approved development plans, which he describes as ‘improvements’ including reduced building heights.

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Councillor Werner said: “We are also exploring possible improvements to the shopping centre development plans including reducing the heights of the 25-storey block.”

Plans to demolish the Nicholsons shopping centre and car park in Maidenhead town centre and build 650 homes, 60 spaces for shops, bars and restaurants, and office space have long been in the works.

The council agreed with developers in 2020 that it would hand over the Nicholsons Broadway car park land in return for similar-sized land in the new development.

Council leaders then agreed in January 2021 that the Royal Borough would build a new multi-storey car park, but lease the upper two levels to developers as well as the basement for their own separately constructed parking.

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The car park was closed in 2022 after parts of the ceiling collapsed, and demolished earlier this year.

But a report presented to council leaders in October suggested there was uncertainty surrounding the car park’s replacement.

They suggested it was ‘not necessarily the case’ that the now-demolished multi-storey Broadway car park would be replaced with a new one.

And councillor Werner said in October that talks with Areli were in a ‘watch this space position’. A spokesperson for Areli told the Obesrver in October that it was ‘continuing to work alongside the council’, and hoped to begin construction work at the end of next year.

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But it also said it was ‘exploring amendments to the plans in response to feedback and changes in how people live and work’.

Councillor Singh raised his questions at a meeting on Wednesday, October 20. He also asked whether a temporary replacement Broadway car park would open by Christmas.

Councillor Werner did not directly confirm that it would be – but he said the car park’s operator, Green Parking, was ‘getting the site set up for Christmas shoppers’.