WALTHAMSTOW Stadium will not be developed until at least 2012, it has emerged.

London & Quadrant, owners of the iconic venue in Chingford Road, are only now inviting architects to pitch for the design contract for a proposed housing development on the site.

The housing association parted company with previous architects Yoo Capital in February following a public consultation on initial plans and calls for leisure facilities to be maintained on the site.

Despite L&Q claiming the contract start date is only a “guideline”, the notice states it will last for two years, raising the possibility that the development could be delayed until six years after the stadium closed in 2008.

Campaign group Save our Stow, which has been lobbying to get the stadium re-opened as a greyhound track, said the invitation to tender is further evidence of L&Q “misleading” the public about the tracks future.

Spokesman Rick Holloway said: “They have said they are building on the site but they are totally misleading the public. Now they are not starting work until 2014.

"They are not being fair to the borough's residents because they are not informing them. We will have flag waving in 2012 and the site will be empty. It's an embarrassment.”

L&Q have declined SOS's offer to lease the track for £500,00 per annum for three years, telling them there's a number of legal and public safety issues preventing this.

But SOS are not deterred and Rick Holloway said it is trying to facilitate a meeting between L&Q and an interested buyer, which Chingford MP Iain Duncan Smith and Walthamstow MP Stella Creasy have offered to mediate.

Ms Creasy is due to refer to Walthamstow Stadium during her maiden speech in the House of Commons today as part of her pledge to push forward the area's regeneration.

An L&Q spokesperson said: "We are impatient to address the urgent need for affordable housing in the area and are progressing plans as swiftly as possible.

"Once we have appointed the architects for this project we will be able to confirm our time line of activity.

"At no point have we received any credible evidenced offer to lease or purchase the site, nor have we been consulted to provide the housing element of a mixed development alternative.

"But we are happy to talk with anyone who has a stake in the future of the area and have discussed this and our plans with Iain Duncan Smith MP two months ago.”

Click here to follow the Waltham Forest Guardian on Twitter