Plans to redevelop Walthamstow Wetlands for public use have been hit by a row between Waltham Forest Council and Thames Water.

The council is hoping to transform the series of waterways between Tottenham and the Blackhorse Road area of Walthamstow with a new visitors centre, play area, café, walkways, and other general "improvements" to the landscape.

But it has now emerged that the project is behind schedule due to disagreements with landowners Thames Water over the lease, a dispute over which contractor to use and a row over the route of cycle lanes through the landscape.

A council progress report, which will be discussed by its cabinet on Tuesday March 19, said that the issues "were being addressed" and that it was hoped the plans would get back on track within months.

It is not the first snag to hit the project. Last year the council admitted it had been forced to scale back the plans and cut the budget from £10million to £6.5million after some of the other parties involved raised concerns about the details.

A spokesman explained that the revised proposals were "more in keeping with the quality of the site as a nature reserve".

An initial grant of £364,000, much of it from the The Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF), was awarded to the project last June and the council had 18 months from that time to begin preliminary work before it could apply for the next round of funding.

If it is successful then the works are expected to take around two years to complete.

Thames Water has already pledged £1.5 million towards the project.