Plans for a AU$500m (US$466m, €348.4m, £276.6m) Chinese Cultural Theme Park north of Sydney, Australia, will continue despite a number of issues in regards to non-payments, with delays seriously hampering the proposed development.

The developers of Chappypie China Time theme park had initially said the attraction would be open in 2016 but so far only AU$300,000 (US$208,500, €191,500, £143,500) has been put down to secure a 150,000sq m (1.6 million sq ft) plot part-funded by Wyong Council.

The developers also missed a deadline in December to pay the remaining AU$9.9m (US$6.9m, €6.4m, £4.7m) owed to the council for the land.

In June last year, the New South Wales Department of Planning and Environment reprimanded the developers of the park for using the department's official logo in its promotional material, which offered an Australian visa in exchange for a AU$1m (US$771,000, €689,000, £489,000) investment.

Concerns were also raised last year by government members about the financial backers of the development, with an investigation carried out into claims that Wyong Shire mayor Doug Eaton failed to declare his wife's financial interests in the theme park.

In May last year, conditional approval was granted for the attraction, but under re-zoning and height restrictions, with the department also challenging predicted job figures and tourist numbers.

"The theme park proponents have spent around AU$1m to date on the project, which includes AU$300,000 to the council, made up of AU$100,000 in the initial option fee and AU$200,000 in DA and rezoning fees," said Doug Eton, speaking to the Sydney Morning Herald. "I am not concerned."

AU$500m cultural theme park in Australia hits several stumbling blocks en-route to development