NINE months have passed since London 2012 shooting events finished at Woolwich Common.

And yet the site remains reminiscent of "a bomb site" rather than one of Greenwich borough's most treasured open spaces.

The land was meant to be returned to pre-Games glory in March this year but residents can expect around another 12 months of work.

Olympic bosses have come under fire for the state of the common which has been blamed on bad weather delaying the timetable for grass reseeding.

Manager of Woolwich Common Community Centre, in Leslie Smith Square, Bill Essex said: "It is absolutely outrageous that they have left it the way it is.

"Our common has been devastated and now looks like a bomb site.

"Why does it look like a mine field with big rocks everywhere? It is just unbelievable.

"They said it would be back to what it was meant to be by March. We are in May and it seems to be ruined."

The 60-year-old ,who lives in nearby Eglinton Road, added: "What about us poor residents who have to walk along the common? You can’t take a dog along there - there is glass."

The Ministry of Defence-owned land was leant to the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) who were responsible for setting up and dismantling the temporary shooting and archery venue.

News Shopper: London 2012 shooting events at Woolwich Common

 

The ODA, which handed back the common to the MOD in March this year, is responsible for funding reseeding of the space which has been delayed.

Station staff officer at Royal Artillery Barracks Major Les Carr told News Shopper: "We have been waiting for the funding from ODA which has now been approved.

"Grass won’t start growing until the warmer weather. You are talking at least 12 months before it’s back to its original state."

Work is expected to begin in the next couple of weeks to chain harrow the area - breaking the soil up, removing the rubble to reseed it.

An ODA spokesman said: "After the Games, the ODA dismantled the temporary shooting and archery venue and returned the land to the MOD in March 2013.

"However, due to unseasonal weather, it was not possible to reseed the area. The ODA is funding grass seeding, which will be the responsibility of the MOD and its contractors, and this work will complete the reinstatement of the site.

“Both ODA and MOD expect the site to be looking more like its previous condition after reseeding and a full growing season. Bad weather has delayed this seeding work, which we anticipated would be completed by the end of March 2013.

"Inevitably this work will take time to have an impact and it is not possible to give a precise date when ground conditions will be in a comparable state to before the Olympics."

He added that an on-going maintenance programme of the site would carry on for five years.