TESCO needs to move faster to redevelop an eyesore town centre, it was claimed today.

The supermarket giant last week outlined a timetable to demolish Linwood town centre and build a superstore, promising to begin pre-demolition by April.

Locals say the work should start sooner.

Linwood Community Development Trust (CDT) has demanded "realistic dates" for when work will begin.

Kirsty Flannigan, a member of the CDT, said: "As far as the Linwood community is concerned, Renfrew-shire Council and Tesco have been discussing legal issues on the current plans since they were submitted in January 2011.

"However, these legal disputes have nothing to do with the delay in demolishing our town centre. A demolition warrant was approved on January 17 last year and demolition should and could have happ-ened long before now.

"It's time they showed the community of Linwood some respect and brought forward the demolition date.

"This would bring a renewed sense of pride into our community as the current centre is an embarrassment."

Another member of the trust, Colin McMullan, who has lived in Linwood all his life, said: "I am furious at the current time-scales that were announced last week.

"These further delays and constant excuses around legalities are totally unacceptable.

"Questions need to be answered why it is taking so long to come to a conclusion.

"Someone in a corporate position is accountable for this sham – heads should roll. The good people of Linwood deserve better than this."

Local MSP Hugh Henry is to hold another meeting with Tesco tomorrow to try to hammer out a start-date which is acceptable to residents.

In response to Lin-wood CDT's criticism, Tesco corporate affairs manager Tony McElroy said: "We are committed to demolishing Linwood town centre and building a new store, with activity beginning on site in April.

"This remains our most complex and ambitious project in Scotland and the timescales reflect this.

"I appreciate some members of the community would like to see things move more quickly.

"We are working with the council to explore ways in which the demolition can be brought forward.

"We have made it clear to the community that if our timescales can be brought forward they will be."

Linwood CDT is staging an information event at noon on Saturday in Linwood's Tweedie Hall.

ewan.fergus@ eveningtimes.co.uk