Dawdling proposals for housing development across Norwich - some of which have been in the works for more than a decade - have been slammed by experts.
Fears of "land banking" in the city are rife, with neighbours and the economy stalling as a result.
Land banking is a strategy used by property developers who buy large blocks of undeveloped land as a safety net for any planning refusals.
The issue of nutrient neutrality has created a huge backlog with projects put on hold to protect waterways from being polluted.
Yet there is a feeling many largescale projects such as the Pinebanks scheme in Thorpe St Andrew have been stagnating for years.
The plans for the Pinebanks, Langley and Griffin Lane sites were submitted in early 2022. when development firm Ocubis outlined its vision to build 575 homes across three Yarmouth Road sites.
However the land was first purchased 13 years ago.
This has prompted the Friends of Thorpe St Andrew action group to call for an urgent update to the planning applications for the Pinebanks, Langley and Griffin Lane sites.
Ian Mackie, Conservative county councillor for Thorpe St Andrew, said: "It is totally unacceptable for people living here to have this protracted issue hanging over their heads.
"This has been going on since the site was sold by Aviva in 2009.
"The plans that were agreed in 2013 should have been delivered then, but here we are again still awaiting new plans."
A spokeswoman for Ocubis said the developer is currently working on updating some of the plans and these will be submitted to Broadland District Council shortly.
She added: "We will also be issuing our second community newsletter to people living close to the sites and copies of the newsletter will also be available at Thorpe St Andrew Town Council's offices."
Philip Clay, a member of Friends of Thorpe St Andrew who also lives in the town, highlighted there have been three arsons across the developer's sites.
Mr Clay added: "They estimate the building work - whatever they get permission for - will take eight years to build.
"If they had started when they were granted the first planning permission in 2013 the development would have been finished by now.
"They should have started and finished when the market was more buoyant. We're living in total limbo."
There have also been delays to the Brook Farm development proposed by Lothbury Property for the Broadland Park in Thorpe St Andrew.
This was discussed at the recent Great and Little Plumstead Parish Council meeting due to concerns over delays to infrastructure.
Plans for new cycle connections to the NDR and Broad Lane have been put on hold without the green light for the Brook Farm project.
Lothbury has been contacted for comment.
It also comes as the plans for Anglia Square, submitted by Weston Homes, are yet to be finalised.
With the construction period expected to take up to 10 years, traders and those living nearby believe the area has been left to rot in the meantime with problems such as the closure of the public toilets left unresolved.
Anthony Breach, a planning analyst for the Centre for Cities think tank, said delays to housing projects can cause "massive damage" to the area - both in terms of the local economy and the housing market.
He said land banking can also eat up council resources and create a "merry-go-round" effect between planning officers, developers and neighbours complaining.
The analyst added: "It's about having a system that is rapid, certain and transparent.
"If we are in a situation where sites are languishing for 13 years, businesses looking to create jobs are going to think again.
"Land banking can see developers apply for more than they need as they want to have sites in their back pocket as a safety net for a rainy day if they are denied planning permission."
Mr Breach believes a rules-based planning system seen in other countries would enable applications to be processed more efficiently.
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