Tesco has been accused of failing the people of Cupar over plans for a new store in the town.
Planning permission for a huge store in South Road to replace the existing store in the town was granted four years ago, but there are fears it will be at least 2015 before any progress is made on the site.
North-East Fife MSP Roderick Campbell said: “Tesco have continued to fail the people of Cupar by failing to begin work on the new superstore they have had permission to build since 2010.
“This protracted saga has seen next to no work carried out and it is disappointing that this could remain the case until 2015.
“Tesco must tell us when they will commence work on the new store they have promised to build.
“I have been advised by their representatives that they are ‘committed to Cupar’. It is time for them to deliver on these words, and deliver a new store.
“I have now written to Tesco, once again, to seek clarification on what work will take place, and when. The lack of information that I have been advised has been received by Fife Council is disappointing.
“I would hope that Tesco will be more forthcoming with plans for starting work and will provide greater detail at a public exhibition I have been promised will take place to discuss the plans.
“I await confirmation of when this will take place but hope it will be soon so as to allow work to begin in the near future. There can be no more excuses, or delays, from Tesco on this matter.”
Tesco recently carried out some minor work on the site. The company’s planning consent would have run out next month if they had failed to do any work at all.
Douglas Provan, of Cupar Community Council, said: “They did a bit of work for a couple of days but I think it was just for show.
“They have left it in a bad way. As you come into Cupar you see this wild bit of land with an ugly metal fence around it. It’s been like that for years. It’s about time Tesco either got rid of it or built on it.
“They might build on it in the future, you never know, but it seems like they are holding onto it so no one else can build on it. If they get an extension to their planning consent, I think Cupar is in trouble.”
Elsewhere in Fife, there have been fears that Tesco will fail to deliver a store in Dunfermline after the project hit major delays.
However, plans for the Carnegie Drive scheme recently went on public display. Tesco said it was committed to the scheme in Dunfermline and the planned store in Leven.
In relation to the Cupar project, a Tesco spokesman said: “We’re continuing to consider timescales for the project and will keep the community updated.”