WITH bricks scattered everywhere, the roof torn off and parts of the first floor seemingly held up by metal rods, it's a far cry from the vision outlined for this Worcester property.

Fresh pictures of Councillor Allah Ditta's Timberdine Avenue development show how it appears to be making little progress four months on since your Worcester News highlighted the wreckage.

The former city mayor is still unable to say when the property, number 66, will become the plush six-bedroom palace intended under the existing planning permission.

It comes as residents in the Battenhall-based street have started to ask questions about what they call the "lack of work".

Neighbour Paul Smith, 61, said: "I'm really not sure if he is aware what other people in the street think of it - it's a disaster zone.

"I can't say it looks any better now than when it was first publicised - if there was an army of people helping him out we'd feel better about it but there never is.

"It's dragging the whole street down."

Last year planning permission was granted to transform the elegant three-bed house into a mini mansion with six bedrooms, two lounges, two main halls, a swimming pool, jacuzzi and even a sauna.

The property is officially owned by his daughter Parlen Akhtar, but Cllr Ditta is doing the development himself and is the agent for it, saying it will become a large family home.

Back in April we revealed how the Do-It-Yourself style job was so badly botched the city council declared the building unsafe, saying the "dangerous structure" would be demolished unless Cllr Ditta took immediate action.

The council has also got a court order forcing him to make it safe after the foundations became dangerously overloaded.

A supporting wall, the roof and entire back of the house has been torn down to comply with the demands.

Cllr Ditta said: "It's all in hand, it's just about having the time and effort to do the work.

"It's not a small project and it will take time."

He said recent "bouts of rain" had meant some work hadn't happened, and insisted "a number of people" have been helping him on it during recent weeks but couldn't give any targets on resolving it.

The city council says it is keeping an active eye on the property.

Corporate director Ruth Mullen said: "We will continue to monitor the site, to ensure compliance with building control and planning regulations. "At the present time the property is not an unsafe structure and there are no current concerns about safety at the site."