This overgrown site should be a prime riverside spot close to the heart of Norwich - but many waiting for news of yet another stalled regeneration plan feel the area has been 'let down and run down.'

Left derelict for more than a decade, the St Anne's Wharf lies between King Street and has seen numerous plans to develop it fall flat.

Primed for investment, the area was even given a direct link to the clubs, pubs and bars of Riverside with a �2.5m bridge, but remains a wasteland overrun with weeds and blemished by graffiti.

One of those who has seen the site hope after hope dashed is Stephanie Potts, who has managed neighbouring Dragon Hall for seven years and called it an 'oasis' next to the land, which was once home to Norwich brewery.

'When I got here there was still the brewery, and it was great when that was demolished as it felt like something was starting to happen for the area,' she said.

'We worked with the assumption that the area around us would be developed as we developed, which would have been great as we would have re-opened in a new lovely area rather than an industrial wasteland, but we're still there.

'It's very frustrating after all this time that it's not happened, and though the King Street area is getting better every time anything is going to get done there it goes wrong.'

The plan to build 437 apartments dates back to 2004 includes space for commercial outlets. It came into difficulty as property developers City Living Developments (Norwich) and sister companies City Living Homes and Anglia Projects & Developments called in administrators Begbies Traynor last May.

Hit by the slump in the housing market, they were faced with huge debts, including one of �48m to Dunbar Bank.

And though hopes were raised after it emerged in January this year that the administrators had been in talks with a number of businesses, even those closest to the community remain in the dark about developments.

The last news that Councillor Peter Offord heard was of the developers going into administration, though he said people regularly talked to him about the five acre space and wider area.

'People are really disappointed, and it's got an overall effect on the rest of King Street, on which there are also other issues too. They feel the area is being let down and run down and it really affects people's morale.'

The hands of Norwich City Council were largely tied, he said, because powers had been devolved to businesses 'to let them develop, which is all well and good if the money is there.'

St Anne's Wharf also includes the Grade II listed Howard House, which was built in the mid 17th century and was reported last year by Begbies Traynor to be 'in a serious state of disrepair.'

Clr Offord pointed to other issues in the area, including a patch of land at the junction between Music House Lane and King Street, but said that that numerous let downs had brought the community closer together.

'We've got community groups that have formed to do things like cleaning up themselves, and if the improvements had happened then people wouldn't have been motivated to do that,' he added.

Sitting across the river from the development at the Queen of Iceni pub was 53-year-old Glenn Pearson. He described the site as a 'waste' and added that 'it's been like this for years.'

However, he thought that housing might not be appropriate, and 'something for the community would be good. There's no point in having houses if you can't sell them but it should at least be kept clean and tidy.'

However, despite numerous setbacks positivity remains.

Julian Foster is chairman of the city centre Safer Neighbourhood Action Panel (SNAP). He said he hoped there would be a work provision for any development in the area for artisans, and stressed there was still hope for the plans.

'There are firms out there that do have money, and Norwich is desperate for more development,' he said.