A MASSIVE £4million upgrade to Central Park has been slammed as “disgusting” — with locals fuming it’s become a fenced-off mud heap and a total eyesore.
In Plymouth, Devon, frustrated residents living near Central Park have hit out after work on the delayed ponds and play areas came to a halt again.
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Locals say the site has been left looking like a “building site” and a “moonscape”, with mounds of dirt, broken fencing and abandoned materials strewn about.
Plymouth City Council has confirmed it parted ways with the original contractor after work failed to restart as promised last month.
Legal action is now underway and a new firm is expected to take over in early June.
The stalled project, aimed at transforming the area into a wildlife haven with new ponds and drainage features, has already been plagued by delays, budget hikes and poor weather since its launch in late 2022.
Ray O’Dell, who lives close to the park, said: “As a local resident I am disgusted about yet another delay on this project, despite numerous promises made by those leading the project.
“If we see this fully completed in 2026 I will be amazed, based on the slow progress to date.”
Amanda Pannell, who started a 3,000-signature petition over the mess, said: “It appears to be impossible to hold the council to account for their failure to communicate and deliver on the ponds project.
“It’s exhausting.”
She added: “Council officers and elected members will promote the success of the South Pond… but the North Pond, Barn Park fields and Reservoir Field… are still fenced off and not usable for visitors.
“These areas are a mess and are still under building site regulations, over three years on.”
Locals say the chaos has turned their once-proud park into a no-go zone.
Vast areas used for football, dog walking and family outings are now blocked off.
Much of the fencing is falling apart, and debris has been spotted in the ponds.
“It’s like a war zone,” said one mum walking through the park with her toddler.
“You can’t take your kids here anymore. They just stare at mud and broken fences.”
The council has admitted its failings.
A spokesperson said: “We told residents that work would begin by the end of April in good faith… It didn’t happen and so we’ve decided to part ways with the contractor. Legal discussions are ongoing.”
They added: “It is incredibly frustrating, given that the weather is now dry and bright. We should be making progress, but we’re not.”
The delay comes despite more money being pumped into the project last month.
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An extra £1million was added to the budget, including £237,000 pulled from day-to-day council spending, and £500,000 from road safety improvements.
That’s on top of the £3million already allocated to phase three of the council’s £9million grand plan to transform Central Park.
The project was meant to deliver a network of ponds, paths, and green spaces to improve biodiversity and reduce flooding.
But nearly two years on, many areas are still off-limits.
A new contractor is expected to begin work next month, and the council says it still hopes to finish earthworks by the end of summer.
If that happens, landscaping could finally begin in the autumn.
In the meantime, anger is growing.
Another petition has now surfaced online — this one from a group calling themselves “The Janners”, who are demanding that the council “stop buggering up” Central Park and scrap plans to sell the historic Pounds House.
Their blunt message reads: “Please stop making terrible decisions regarding the management of Central Park… Don’t sell any of the park. Not even to Argyle. It’s not yours — it’s ours.”
It goes on: “Please reconsider any plans to make any more ugly ponds without talking to someone who is good at their job.
“Please stop dumping vast amounts of earth on areas of the park currently and previously used by the public.”
Locals who visit the park daily say nothing has changed for months.
“It’s been abandoned,” said Ray O’Dell. “I’ve not seen any work done here in six months.”
Another resident, Philip Bickle from nearby Mutley, said: “It’s a moonscape. I come here every morning and people are fed up with it not being finished. It’s incredibly protracted.”
Terry Hart from Peverell said: “I love the idea of what they are doing, the wildlife is coming back. But it’s taking far too long.”
And Yolanda Brown, from Beacon Park, added: “People are really fed up but don’t know what to do about it.
“We’ve even talked about having a march. It really does need to be finished.”
With parts of the park still under building site rules, locals are left wondering how long it will be before they get their green space back — and whether the council can be trusted to deliver on its promises.
As one visitor put it bluntly: “We’re not against improving the park. But they’ve left it a mess and just walked away.”
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