Developers have been accused of leaving a £4 million gateway development site in the heart of Dartmouth looking like a half-demolished bombsite.

Bob Cumming, who lives next door to the old St John Ambulance site at the bottom of College Way, said that it is one of the first things visitors see as they pour into the town.

'The developers have said it is the gateway to Dartmouth and now they have left it looking like a bombsite,' he said.

But Winchester architect Andy Ramus said the developers are waiting for the services to be cut off to the old ambulance building before the demolition work is completed.

He said: 'We are waiting for things like the gas to be turned off. We are looking to get the site cleared as soon as possible – in the next couple of weeks I would say.'

Meanwhile, the developers are still waiting to submit a formal planning application for the landmark new flats complex as they argue with planners over how much they have to hand over towards affordable housing in the town.

Mr Ramus, from A and R Design Studio in Winchester, who has drawn up plans for the contemporary looking steel-framed complex, explained the developers are being asked to contribute to new affordable homes through a legally binding agreement as a condition of any project going ahead.

'The developers are currently in negotiation with the council regarding the 106 agreement concerning how much they need to contribute to the council to subsidise affordable housing in the area,' he explained.

The current application is being put forward jointly by the two development companies – one in Gloucestershire and one in Hampshire.

The site of the six luxury flats – which come with a penthouse flat with its own rooftop Japanese garden – is one of the most prominent in Dartmouth, just the road width away from the river Dart. The scheme was first unveiled to members of Dartmouth Town Council last month.

Earlier this month a demolition crew moved in to knock down the old garage at the front of the building and then knocked down half the main building before leaving the site a fortnight ago.

The move has angered Mr Cumming, who is chairman of the management company at Vavasour House next door to the site, which represents the Vavasour House residents.

'It is going to be one of the first things visitors coming in to the town are going to see. It is an eyesore,' he said. 'South Hams Council says as long as it is secure they can leave it like that as long as they want.' He added: 'It is a concern for Dartmouth with Easter coming up. The developers do not seem to have any good will for Dartmouth otherwise they wouldn't have left it looking like that.'

But Mr Ramus moved to calm his fears as he said that the rest of the demolition work will, hopefully, be going ahead in a fortnight or so.

'I believe that it is all going to happen in the next couple of weeks.'