Prospective buyers have been forced to withdraw from a landmark Glasgow flat development "dogged by controversy" due to unexpected delays in the completion of the project.
Sanctuary is building more than 400 flats on the site of the old Victoria Infirmary hospital in Langside on the city's South Side, including mid-market and shared equity properties.
Developer Cruden Building was awarded a £43.3 million contract in 2021 to complete the second phase of the project for 209 apartments which are aimed at young professionals and families.
Owners who were due to move into the properties in March have now been told they will not be ready until December.
Sanctuary did not provide any details about the reasons for the delay but said it was in regular contact with clients.
One owner, who was told three weeks before she was due to move in about the delay, said: "I'm okay but I've heard of lots of people who are out of pocket and furious.
"Countrywide is the estate agent and I was told that some people have had to withdraw from buying their flats.
"The mortgage deals they all had in place have been withdrawn and they are now facing having to renegotiate and pay hundreds more in interest payments."
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A West End-based mortgage broker said one client had pulled out of a sale and had been given no explanation for the delay.
In January, pictures emerged showing green material on the exterior of the building.
Sanctuary said the appearance of the brickwork was caused by a "weather-damaged gutter" and would be cleaned by a specialist contractor and council building standards officers were involved.
The landmark project has drawn criticism amid claims the company "shut down" efforts by the local community to save more of the historic hospital complex.
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Sanctuary lodged retrospective planning permission in 2020 to take down an additional ward block, which involved the demolition of sandstone cupolas on James Sellars’ original ward pavilion.
Only the Administration Block section of the building was listed so the rest is without statutory protection.
The housing provider said the cupolas were in too poor a condition to be salvaged.
Glasgow Labour MSP Paul Sweeney said: "From start to finish this development has been dogged by controversy and has become a case study in how not to pursue socially responsible development of such a significant historic location in the heart of Glasgow's southside.
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"It's disappointing to hear of further mismanagement at the former Victoria Infirmary development in Battlefield.
"Local residents were treated with contempt by Sanctuary during the pre-planning phase, with the recommendations of the Victoria Forum consultation ignored.
"The developer then watered down the original approved planned consent to unnecessarily demolish beautiful 133-year-old sandstone cupolas on one of James Sellars' original 1888 ward pavilions, causing a massive outcry.
"Now residents who have purchased flats in good faith are to spend the rest of the year in limbo due to unplanned delays with completing works."
A spokesman for Sanctuary said: “We have contacted our customers to advise that, for a number of reasons, the contractor appointed to the Victoria development is currently behind schedule.
"We are in regular personal contact with all our customers to provide updates – directly and through solicitors – and have offered them face-to-face progress meetings, which some have already taken up.”
In 2019 Cruden was awarded a £30m contract to deliver 135 flats for mid-market rental and New Supply Shared Equity sale as part of phase one of the development.
No one from Cruden was available for comment.
The thermally efficient buildings will have solar panels on the roof and passive electric car charging facilities.
The Victoria Infirmary was opened on February 14, 1890, by the Duke of Argyll and finally closed in 2015.
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