Developers have been left red-faced after "baffling and confusing" signage appeared pointing people to a shopping precinct that no longer exists.

Eagle-eyed residents will have been surprised to see signs in South Oxhey directing them to the St Andrews Road Shopping Precinct - a set of shops demolished during the £218m regeneration of the estate.

Danielle King spotted the rogue signs over the weekend.Danielle King spotted the rogue signs over the weekend. (Image: Danielle King) At least three incorrect signs have been identified and flagged - in Tom Lake Way and at its junction with Prestwick Road.

At least three wrong signs have been spottedAt least three wrong signs have been spotted (Image: Gareth Williams) Labour Party Parish Council candidate Danielle King was among those who spotted the signs.

She said: "The precinct is long gone and these signs only need to direct people towards the station. What's there now is baffling and confusing.

"It's a long story as to how this slipshod signage has come about but it needs sorting out quickly and rectifying."

The regeneration of South Oxhey saw the original shops demolished, along with flats that had stood there since the Second World War.

South Oxhey before the regeneration.South Oxhey before the regeneration. (Image: Supplied by Steve Cox)

These were replaced with new homes and shops including Lidl, which opened in Prestwick Road in 2022.

Gareth Williams, clerk of Watford Rural Parish Council, blamed developer Countryside Partnerships, which oversaw the South Oxhey redevelopment.

He said: "In early November, we made them aware of this specific error of placing three signs (plans show four) along Tom Lake Way, showing a road name which no longer exists, and also pointed them to the fact that the road itself has no retail outlets on it to warrant the term 'shopping precinct'.

"Our council requested that the new sign simply shows Carpenders Park Station and the cycle route symbol."

Mr Williams added: "Hopefully these simple changes will be made swiftly and that all the others will follow accordingly.”

(Image: Gareth Williams) A spokesperson for Countryside Partnerships told the Watford Observer: "We are liaising with Hertfordshire Country Council (HCC) to secure their agreement on the wording proposed by the Parish Council for the signs.

"Once agreed with HCC, new signs will be ordered and installed to replace the existing ones.”