BOSSES behind an £80 million housing scheme taking shape on the New Forest coastline have been accused of failing to deliver on key pledges.

Many of the homes at the luxury Lymington Shores development are already occupied - but people living in homes costing up to £879,000 are still waiting for shops, a restaurant and other facilities to be completed.

Now the influential Lymington Society is urging New Forest District Council (NFDC) to get tough with the developer, Redrow Homes (Southern).

Chairman Clive Sutton has written to the authority following delays in the construction of a footbridge over a railway line that divides the waterfront site from the town centre.

Lymington Society spokesman Don Mackenzie said: "Residents have been badly let down by the developers.

"Bearing in mind that planning permission for the site was given in 2012, it's surely unacceptable that Redrow has not pursued negotiations with the rail authorities with sufficient vigour."

The Society is also calling for other facilities included in the application to be built.

Dr Mackenzie said: "The community was originally promised a wide range of benefits with the aim of creating a cultural quarter and a 'destination' site with a gallery, retail units and a high-quality restaurant. Also included was a riverside walk, a playground, and a large amount of public open space.

"The Society urges the NFDC to ensure these benefits are delivered without further delay.

"The extremely protracted pace of work on the site has delayed the completion of facilities that residents and the wider community should have been enjoying a long time ago."

A Redrow spokesman said the facilities "would be progressed in due course".

He added: "We're still very committed to delivering the footbridge. The delay has been due to establishing an overall scheme that meets the requirements of several third party stakeholders.

"We hope to achieve a speedy resolution to the matter to enable us to begin building the bridge as soon as possible."

The spokesman added: "There is some interest in the restaurant space, and the commercial units and gallery are being marketed."

A council spokesman said: "Working with Redrow to ensure they fulfil their obligations on this project is a priority for us.

"We are meeting with Redrow and other parties involved in enabling the bridge to be built, including the railway authority and Hampshire County Council, when we expect an update from Redrow.

"We will continue to work with them to ensure the other elements are provided."