THE old Victoria Ground was once a shrine for thousands of football fans who flocked to watch Stoke City play.

Today it lies derelict, and residents living nearby say they are sad to see a one-time popular location given so little attention.

And after almost 13 years since the now Premier League club left the site off Boothen Old Road for the Britannia Stadium, people are losing hope of ever seeing the land occupied.

Developer St Modwen has permission to build there, and late last year began fencing the area off to improve security, but the recession has been blamed for the development being put back by up to seven years.

Retired antiques dealer Dave Weare, aged 65, who lives in Lime Street, near to the Victoria Ground site, said: "It is just unbelievable that things have got put back again.

"It is becoming more and more obvious that they aren't going to do anything. They just want to hold on to the land and watch it deteriorate more."

He added: "People used to be able to use the land to walk their dogs, but it has all been fenced off and that has caused a lot of resentment. Why can't St Modwen turn it into a temporary park until they decide to develop it?"

Ward councillor Pauline Joynson said the land is crying out for development.

She said: "Residents are sick to the back teeth about the lack of things going on down there. They are always asking questions about what is happening.

"It is the gateway into the city, which everyone is talking about, and it is not fair on residents who have had to look out on it for so many years."

The application by St Modwen to extend the time limit on its planning permission comes at the same time as mining firm UK Coal, which owns the Chatterley Valley site near Tunstall, announced it also wants a seven-year extension for its £50 million business park plans.

In Hanley, residents have been left overlooking another derelict site, intended for a B&Q, cinema and hotel.

The land, off Waterloo Road, Hanley, was bought by investment firm Lear Management Ltd, and was cleared in 2006 to make way for the £60 million complex, offering up to 600 new jobs.

Lear applied for full planning permission in August 2008.

Approval was granted later in the year, but in early 2009 the bank which was backing the scheme pulled the plug, plunging Lear Management into insolvency.

Reg Shaw is chairman of Union Street Residents' Association, in Hanley, which covers streets on the opposite side of Waterloo Road to the development site.

Mr Shaw said: "Residents are keen for something to go ahead, because at the moment they are overlooking piles of rubble."

He added: "I think the development would enhance the entrance to the city centre, and with the new Tesco going up it would complement that."

Cabinet member for regeneration, councillor Brian Ward, said he was confident work would start at the sites – although residents may have to be patient.

He said: "Through no fault of St Modwen or the city council, nothing has happened on the Victoria Ground site due to the state of the housing market and the effect of the recession on the building industry.

"They didn't want to build housing that they couldn't sell, but as soon as the market picks up again there will be cement and bricks appearing on that site."

He added: "As far as the Lear site is concerned, I think we may have to discuss a better agreement, between the council and the administrator, to get a development which would suit that site.

"My feeling is that the current plans for an out-of-town shopping development will detract from the city centre.

"Retail really needs to be concentrated in the right area, and this isn't it.

"The developers behind the East West Centre have had a lot of interest from some big retail names, but they are only going to be interested if they can see there would be sufficient footfall coming through the city centre to support their businesses."