A LONG-awaited housing development in a Hampshire market town could be hit by delays.

Romsey residents have been waiting 12 years for new homes to be built on 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).

Now civic chiefs are set to take action as they have warned the development could be delayed.

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The developer has now withdrawn the appeal as they had “applied to vary the wrong clause”, TVBC said.

But civic chiefs in Romsey have warned this could cause further delays and are set to approach the developer this week in a bid to speed up the scheme.

Cllr Nick Adams-King, planning portfolio holder, pictured, said: “They haven’t built anything since 2014.

“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.”

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

But town bosses in Romsey refused the proposal saying the information provided to demonstrate that the scheme is unviable was not enough and that Starter Homes “are not currently supported by Housing as an affordable housing tenure”.

Cllr Adams-King said it is “frustrating” that there is a lack of progress on the site.

“TVBC are determined to ensure affordable housing is provided as part of the development.

“We are equally determined to see the housing on the Brewery site completed and will be pursuing every option to unlock development.”

He said the developer will be contacted during the week.

“No-one knows what’s their problem.

“We want to make sure there are no stones unturned,” he added.

The Daily Echo approached the developer but it declined to comment.