A senior councillor has had to apologise to residents of one of Epsom's most deprived areas for continuing delays to a planned redevelopment.
Hollymoor Lane, in the Longmead Estate, Epsom, has been earmarked for redevelopment with social and affordable housing for years, with plans to keep the existing convenience store on-site and adding a doctor’s surgery.
But work has still not begun on the project.
An invitation to tender, to attract potential developers, was due to be published online on February 7, but this deadline was not met.
And the constant delays with the project have left court ward councillors Sheila Carlson and Dan Stevens questioning whether it is a priority for the council.
At last Tuesday’s full council meeting, Councillor Stevens asked Councillor Neil Dallen, chairman of the council’s strategy and resources committee, for an update on the redevelopment.
In his written reply, Coun Dallen said the issuing of the invitation to tender did not take place by February 7 due to a number of issues with the documents involved in the process not being ready.
He promised he will meet with the officers concerned every week to review the project’s progress.
At the meeting, Coun Stevens asked Coun Dallen if he would like to apologise to the people of Longmead.
Coun Dallen said: "I’m more than happy to apologise that it has taken a long time.
"I do apologise to the people of Longmead that it has taken a long time.
"It’s a very complex project and we have been doing our best to make it happen as soon as possible."
The issue of the Hollymoor Lane redevelopment was raised by Coun Sheila Carlson in the Labour party’s response to the council’s budget.
She said: "The tragedy of Hollymoor Lane is not only letting down local people, but it’s also costing the council money.
"If we had more affordable housing, such as the 26 new units at Hollymoor Lane, we wouldn’t have to send local people to temporary accommodation in Thornton Heath and we certainly wouldn’t be paying a premium price to do so."
Speaking after the meeting, Coun Carlson said that she believes the council’s officers are to blame because they have not prioritised the project.
She said: "There is quite an element of foot-dragging. They haven’t put it on their list of priorities.
"Neil Dallen is probably highly embarrassed about the situation.
"This is definitely due to the officers in the council and we have to be asking why hasn’t the chief executive put this as a priority.
"We have asked questions of the officers and not got adequate responses. We were looking at drawing up plans for the community to look at two-and-a-half years ago.
"The blockage has got to be from the officers. How much longer do we have to wait for this?"
A council spokesman said: "There are a number of reasons why this redevelopment has been delayed - these were discussed at the council meeting, which was the appropriate opportunity, time and place for councillors to raise their views so they could be formally debated and addressed.
"The council is doing all it can to get the redevelopment back on track."
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