Several months after the Palm Jumeirah should have been ready for residents to move in, and plans for the centrepiece of the ‘trunk' have been torn up.

A two-kilometer canal, which was due to be the focal point of the development, will be replaced by a landscaped park.

One owner of a half-built apartment on the Palm, speaking to ArabianBusiness.com anonymously, said that while he hardly cared whether there was a canal or a park on the island, he was disappointed that master developer Nakheel seemed to be spending more time thinking about trivial details rather than attempting to hand over properties to owners.

"We've all got a huge amount of money tied up in the Palm, and it's time we got the chance to move in. Changing a canal to a park smacks of rearranging deckchairs on the Titanic," he said.

Nakheel issued a statement saying that the park would "achieve a better balance between waterfront leisure and recreational facilities and also provide valuable community space for residents."

The statement went on to describe how the 7.8 hectare park will include a wide range of facilities including a large water element with pools and fountains being key features.