Plans to unveil Gants Hill’s Egg of the East with an entertainment-packed festival have been put on ice while plans for the structure are finalised.

The 52ft high steel, bronze and wire structure will tower above many of its surroundings once it is installed on the Gants Hill roundabout.

It was hoped the artwork, described as an “abstracted egg”, would be ready in time to be unveiled as part of a Gants Hill festival pencilled in for September or October.

But that has now been delayed until the spring.

Speaking at a meeting of area committee four, held on Thursday in Sinclair House, Woodford Bridge Road, Redbridge, Conservative Cllr Ruth Clark said she would present a report on the proposed festival at a meeting of the committee early next year.

Revised plans for the bash, which will still be held at the same time as the unveiling of the artwork, are likely to tie in with the Queen’s diamond jubilee celebrations.

Redbridge Council project director Nigel Burch said the delays to the artwork were “no more than expected”.

Structural engineers acting on behalf of artist Wolfgang Buttress and Redbridge Council are liaising on the plans, with Transport for London required to give approval.

The construction of the artwork is expected to take two months and it could be ready for installation by Christmas.

The �80,000 structure, first revealed a year ago, symbolises energy.