DEVELOPERS who outraged homeowners after axing a waterside walkway at a £500 million luxury homes complex in Southampton are being challenged to meet residents to explain themselves.

Deputy council leader Cllr Warwick Payne is demanding Crest Nicholson faces furious neighbours following plans that would see people have access to the waterside at the Centenary Quay development were dropped.

It comes 24 hours after a crunch meeting where residents were expected to vent their anger was cancelled at the 11th hour.

As reported, people living in the Woolston complex claim they have been “mis-sold” their homes after the public riverside walkway was ditched.

Developers claim they sealed off the walkway following recommendations from police amid fears over crime and antisocial behaviour.

But councillors argued that the developer could have avoided those security risks by sticking to original plans to create shops and restaurants on the ground floor, rather than replacing them with more homes.

More than 100 people objected to plans proposed by developers Crest Nicholson to block off 60 metres of the waterfront path surrounding a tower block of 157 flats after deciding to change the ground floor commercial units into four residential units.

Residents were planning to have their say at last night’s public meeting at the Centenary Quay sales office, set up with new management company Alexander Faulkner Partnership, which replaced Stiles Harold Williams in November.

But no one from Crest Nicholson was due to attend the meeting so now Cllr Payne has urged the firm to attend a fresh meeting.

Cllr Payne said: “The planning decision has left a lot people people unhappy, including existing ones living in Centenary Quay. Crest Nicholson has a lot of explaining to do to the wider community and their own residents who have already bought properties. They need to meet up with the residents and find out what happens next and how to move forward.”

No one from Crest Nicholson was available to comment.