Fed-up residents say they have almost given up on their estate's community centre ever opening – despite it being completed 13 years ago.

At first, people in Ingress Park, Greenhithe, saw the building as an amazing resource when it was finished on 2010.

But hope has turned to despair as a confusing stand-off between a council and a developer has dragged on and on.

Mum-of-two Katherine Moreno says she has been reduced to tears by the lack of progress as she's struggled with the isolation of being a parent.

She set up a social media group, including more than 100 mums, and was hoping to be able to use the centre to meet them.

"I would love to use this community centre so much," she said. "I wanted to use it as a place for coffee mornings for all of us to come together, bring our young children, have a chat, have social interaction with each other.

"Even after school, I was thinking we could bring our older children to do activities, especially in this cold weather.

"It is about us getting support from each other because we have a lot of isolation and it can get very lonely in this area."

Katherine, who has a nine-year-old daughter and a toddler son, fought back tears as she added: "I have lost hope with this community centre.

"We don't know why we can't use it. It has affected me and a lot of other parents. They don't tell us. The council have failed us as a community."

The 245sq m centre, which has a main hall, storage area, meeting room, office, kitchen and toilets, was built by Crest Nicholson and is due to be managed by Swanscombe and Greenhithe Town Council.

According to councillor Peter Harman, the delays have occurred because the developer has yet to officially hand the premises over.

He said: "Getting it open has not been Crest's top priority and members of the town council are getting very frustrated at their attitude over this."

He believes the company is doing some work on the centre to maintain and upgrade it after it stood empty for so long.

In preparation for an opening there is an online application form for anyone hoping to use the centre.

Fellow councillor David Mote has been involved in trying to get the building open since it was first built.

He explained part of the delay has been down to ongoing battles between Crest and Dartford council regarding parking allocation for the building and plans for the final stage of the overall Ingress Park development being refused.

He told: "The Pier Development was going to be the last stage in the building works and all the last loose ends they needed to tidy up were going to be finished once that was completed.

"But it got refused. Once that last piece of the jigsaw puzzle got kicked into touch it appears Crest lost interest and moved onto new things.

"Therefore the community centre never got officially handed over and opened."

Decade-long resident Helen Herring said: "It is such a travesty this asset remains locked up and unused. It would really bring people together to have a place to meet up for classes groups or events.

"If it's a local hall then we could all easily walk there until parking is sorted out. It is such a missed opportunity to really bring a community together."

Cally Gale has been battling for years to get it opened and feels there are endless possibilities for the space to help the less fortunate in the community.

She said: "It has never been open. It's such a shame. I've seen inside. It's great. A good space for all sorts of local community activities.

"But it's become a bit of a standing joke now, that it is never going to open. It has only opened once, and that was as a polling station."

She sent a request to create a sensory garden in the grounds of the centre to help those with mental-health needs, but said she heard nothing back.

Cally tries to set up community events which are always well received but often hampered by poor weather.

She added: "We held a carol concert on the steps of the nearby Ingress Abbey building at Christmas but it was so cold. I was giving out hand warmers.

"One of the organists' pedals froze and she had to keep one hand in a cosy mitt I leant her.

"People were leaving early or as soon as it had finished, but if the community centre was open we could have offered hot drinks and mingled for a bit afterwards."

And she is hoping to organise an event for the Coronation in May, adding: "I'd like to hire a huge TV screen and invite people to bring picnics."

Ros Peverall Fry, who has just moved to the area, admitted she was surprised to see it was never open and was keen to find out why.

She said: "I live about 150 yards from the hall and when I viewed the property I bought I was excited at the prospect of lots going on in the hall.

"The usual things like kids' clubs, fund-raising jumble sales, exercise classes."

A Crest Nicholson spokesman wouldn't be drawn on the reasons for the 13-year wait and couldn't give a specific opening date despite being asked a number of times.

He said: “We thank residents for their patience as we complete the final stages of works.

"Once these are completed, we will hand the centre over to the local council for the enjoyment of the community.”