“ENOUGH is enough. They need to sort it out now.”

Those are the words of Romsey residents who have been waiting years to see new homes built at the derelict former brewery site.

As previously reported, the plans for 211 homes at the site were put forward by Stanborough Developments Ltd and were approved in 2006, but only 13 houses have been built to date, according to Test Valley Borough Council (TVBC).

At the end of last week civic chiefs said the development could be hit by further delays.

This came after the developer announced that it has withdrawn an appeal to overturn a decision made by the borough council last year.

In November 2017 the council refused the developer’s proposal to build starter homes – discounted homes for first time buyers – instead of 39 affordable homes as agreed in 2006.

The developer has now withdrawn the appeal “as they had applied to vary the wrong clause”, TVBC said.

The council warned this could cause further delays and confirmed that it will approach the developer in a bid to speed up the scheme.

But Romsey residents said “they have had enough” and are urging town bosses and developers to come up with a plan to “sort out the eyesore in the middle of the town”.

Barbara Thornton, 84, retired, has lived near the site for the past 40 years. She said: “They have to do something. They should sort it out as soon as possible and decide what to do with it. It can’t stay like that. It’s a terrible eyesore.”

Paul Feeney added: “It got worse and worse over the years. If they would have left us park there it would have been at least something good. We have just got used to it. It has been the same for the last 20 years. The council should be more proactive.”

In November, 2017 the developer said that without Starter Homes the scheme would be “unviable”.

But the council refused the proposal and said Starter Homes “are not currently supported by housing as an affordable housing tenure”.

Cllr Nick Adams-King, planning portfolio holder, said: “If they want to appeal our decision again. They would have to put in another planning application, we will refuse the planning application and they will have to appeal again for the same thing they did before. We want to avoid this and talk to them. We want to do what we can to make sure we don’t go through the same thing again.”

MP for Romsey and Southampton North Caroline Nokes said: “Every time we think the developers are finally going to deliver the goods, they find another reason not to.”

The Advertiser approached Stanborough Developments Ltd but the firm declined to comment.