Business owners and people living in North Cheam are still waiting on the redevelopment of a notorious eyesore after the derelict site was occupied by travellers.

Victoria House at the junction of Malden Road and London Road has stood empty for eight years, but the site owners have confirmed they will consult councillors on the development in March.

The Home Group bought the site last year, which they plan to turn into apartments and retail space.

The firm is yet to apply for planning permission.

Public impatience intensified in recent days, after a travelling community set up camp there.

Margaret Crawley, 68, who has lived opposite Victoria House for 27 years, said: “There were about 10 caravans here.

“I have to be truthful, they weren’t noisy. In the morning you would see the little children and that was it.

“We saw plans for what (the developers) were going to do about five years ago and it looked lovely. A lot could be done with that site, it makes absolutely no sense why nothing has happened after all this time.”

The travellers were likely to be in the area for the funeral of highly-regarded Gypsy Sylvia Smith, which took place in Epsom on February 18.

Home Group threatened the occupiers with legal action and they left last week.

In November last year Labour parliamentary candidate Emily Brothers launched a petition calling on all parties involved in the redevelopment to ensure the process moves swiftly.

It is feared that plans may be stalled by Ladbrokes bookmakers, who may seek to retain a betting shop they have attached to the building.

Hussain Mohamed, 24, co-owner of Surrey Bathrooms in Malden Road, said: “They need to liven it up somehow, or at least do something.

“It offers us nothing as a local business. We have a massive parking problem here, so why don’t they use it for that?

“If they put houses and shops there that would also benefit our trade. It’s about time they turned it around.”