Addiscombe residents said they are disappointed after their first glimpse of a new park.

The park near Dalmally Road, named Addiscombe Railway Park by Croydon Council, is due to be opened in the next few months.

However, residents in the surrounding roads are worried about the new park's security and frustrated over delays.

Steve Collins, chairman of Canning and Clyde Residents Association, said: "The general feeling was one of disappointment. It is awfully late and the real problem is that things that were promised initially, like a children's playground, have been ignored.

"The security fencing is unlikely to offer the residents who back on to the park any security at all and I think people are just feeling that it is all too little too late."

Work began in 2001 when planning permission was granted to Bellway Homes for the demolition of Addiscombe Station and the development of the East India Way housing estate.

As part of the planning permission deal Bellway donated the old railway track area between the rear of the station and Black Horse Road to the council.

The land was to be used as a public park.

In addition, Bellway gave the council a sum of money for security fencing for the new park area and for the park's maintenance.

However, the development has been plagued with problems since 2004 with various planning issues and an asbestos break-out earlier this year.

The park is likely to be opened in the winter but residents were told that only half would be ready for the unveiling.

Mr Collins added: "There are no plans at the moment for the second part of the park to be finished at all. Between the rear of East India Way all the way to Blackhorse Lane has been boarded up as we have been told that there are no immediate plans to finish that and they were not prepared to say when anything may happen."

A council spokesman said: "The park is in two parts anyway and the plan was always to develop it in two parts.

"The first phase is going to be open this winter and the second phase will be ongoing."

Mr Collins added: "Overall though I think the main problem we have is that we cannot imagine who is actually going to use this park. It would be different if the whole length was open as it would be a useful cut-through but as it stands it is useless.

"I would say that it is good news that at last something is happening at the park and we are grateful for that after a very long time of nothing happening at all."

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