A councillor for the most deprived area in Epsom has slammed the council for its slow progress in redeveloping a rundown eyesore - which she believes will continue to foster negative perceptions of the estate.

Epsom Council plans to redevelop a dilapidated row of shops and flats in Hollymoor Lane, on the Longmead Estate in Epsom, into social and affordable housing, keeping the existing convenience store on-site, and adding a doctor’s surgery.

The site, which was earmarked for redevelopment in 2010, is vacant, apart from the convenience store, with the flats above the shops boarded-up.

Court ward councillor Sheila Carlson believes progress with the project has been "pathetic" and the council should be acting with more urgency to drive it forward.

She said there were plans to go to public consultation on the redevelopment by the end of last year, with a completion date set for the end of 2014 - but the council is yet to put out a tender for a developer to come forward.

Coun Carlson said: "Until that area is developed it will always look a sight and the perception of anti-social behaviour will always be associated with it.

"It has dragged on and on. It’s been two years since we were first talking about it and it’s just stagnated.

"If it was another area which the Residents’ Association cared about, would there be such a delay?"

A council spokeswoman said the tender process will start in April and the successful bidder should be in place by late summer or early autumn - but this is "not due to inactivity".

She said: "It is important to take time at the outset to get the project right, to deliver a successful development and minimise the risk of problems later.

"This is a complicated project, requiring the input of a range of external partners.

"The proposal to incorporate a GP surgery requires a detailed specification of what they would need in a new building."

She said the council believes a "better scheme could be delivered" if an small piece of land, next to the row of shops, which is owned by Rosebery Housing Association, could be acquired by the council, for "design flexibility, improved site line for vehicles, additional soft landscaping and increased parking provision".

She said it was "difficult to confirm" the cost of the re-development as this stage.