Residents will have to wait longer to find out whether a council believes a huge plot of greenbelt land is suitable for the biggest film studios the UK has ever seen.

Hertsmere Borough Council announced on Thursday afternoon that it has delayed its Local Plan process by several months.

The local plan is a planning document the council is pulling together which will help shape development across Hertsmere up until 2036.

Developers and landowners have put forward a host of sites - many of which are greenbelt - they would like to see redeveloped into housing or employment.

Council officers have the task of deciding which of these sites are most appropriate to help meet growing housing targets and boost the number of jobs in the area - the sites selected will be published in the draft local plan, which was due to be released in May.

Dozens of sites have been listed for consideration across the borough of Hertsmere - including 21 employment sites put forward as recently as this year. It is these 21 sites which the council says has delayed the publication of its draft local plan, with the plan not expected to be released now until the autumn.

Among those 21 sites was land off Rowley Lane in Well End, which has been put forward for a new film studios that would be the biggest in the UK - and join Sky Studios which is under construction next door.

See more: Plans for UK's largest film studios unveiled for Borehamwood

Hertswood Studios would be the biggest studios complex in the country if the proposals were to be approved

'Hertswood Studios' would be the biggest studios complex in the country if the proposals were to be approved

The council’s head of planning, Ross Whear, signed off the revised timetable, following agreement from the council's cross-party member planning panel.

Mr Whear said: "While this decision means that residents, businesses and other interested stakeholders will have to wait a little longer to see the draft plan, it does mean there will be more opportunity to give your views.

"In order to properly assess and consider the 21 new sites submitted during our Call for Employment Sites, we need to conduct additional assessment work.

"In addition, there was cross-party agreement that a further consultation stage be added to our Local Plan process.

"We have already consulted extensively and remain committed to ensuring people can have their say ahead of the final plan being submitted to the government."

Hertsmere Borough Council, offices pictured, is scrutinising every site put forward for its new local plan to determine which sites are suitable for redevelopment

Hertsmere Borough Council, offices pictured, is scrutinising every site put forward for its new local plan to determine which sites are suitable for redevelopment

Publication of the draft plan will take place in the autumn, followed by a six-week public consultation period.

There will also be a statutory six-week period of consultation, before the final plan is submitted to a government-appointed inspector next year.

More than 2,000 people responded to a first wave of consultation on the local plan in 2018.