Building materials and construction fences remained strewn across The Levee, despite Monday’s deadline for completion.
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Stage one of the revamp was to be finished on Monday, six months after the original deadline.
It is believed that on Friday the contractor asked for additional time to complete the project. This would mean another extension to the construction timeframe.
It was clear from the appearance of the mall on Monday that there was still work to be done, but Maitland City Council released no comment about the delay.
Traders were not surprised at the news and most had resigned themselves to the area being completed some time before Christmas.
“I would say it is a month or so away from being finished,” Maitland City Action Group spokeswoman Linda McLean said.
“It is just devastating, we are all still going belly-up.”
Ms McLean leases a store in the mall and said she has had to reduce the rent by $150 per week because of the construction.
This equates to an annual loss of $7500 and she pays Maitland City Council $8000 in rates per year for the property.
“How are they going to encourage investment in the area when the traders are losing money?” she said.
“It is a slap in the face. They need to look after those that have suffered for so long.”
Trader John Lee said the entire project was a joke.
“They will be lucky to finish it by the end of next month,” he said.
“Most of us have given up on it.”
The action group has started its own attempts to beautify The Levee with baskets of flowers, in the hope of giving the area a splash of colour.
The group will also campaign for the public to have their say on stage two of the project, which is scheduled to start next year.
“People need to have their say so we don’t get a building to further dilute the beautiful history of the area,” Ms McLean said.
Maitland City Council declined to comment until more information was available.