EFFORTS to regenerate a large area of Chelmsford city centre are continually being blocked by "relics of the past".
The city council's planning committee waved through plans for 52 apartments off Wharf Road on Tuesday.
But the development cannot go ahead until National Grid relinquishes its old licence to use the two redundant gas towers nearby.
It is the latest development attempt at the site to run into difficulties in the past 17 years, to the frustration of council leader Cllr Roy Whitehead, who has seen several projects fail.
"We collectively put in a bid with National Rail to get them removed, they are a relic of the past, but they are not in a hurry to do it," he said.
"We are certainly in a hurry and it's frustrating, they are not part of a 21st century city.
"It was originally going to be the site of the John Lewis commercial development, next to the Essex Record Office.
"Supermarkets have wanted to go there, the site has been part of our Local Development Plan for a while, and we've been looking to do something there since I was made leader 11 years ago.
"We can develop our part, but we have been hoping to do something with the top part of the site, which is frustrating to progress."
