20 May 2005
Bath Spa is finally set to open in April next year — almost six years behind schedule and more than three times over budget.
Bath and North East Somerset Council's Malcolm Hanney told Public Finance this week that the fresh deadline was a 'firm target' for the beleaguered project.
Originally it was scheduled to open in May 2000, but has been subject to various delays. 'The contractors say it is an achievable target and the project team say it is achievable,' said the executive member for resources.
However, the cost of rebuilding the spa and opening it to the public for the first time since 1978 is now estimated to be more than £40m, compared with an initial estimate of £13m.
Just last month, when new contractors Capita Symonds were brought in, the estimate was some £35m. However, up to £2m in extra costs can now be added to that as final repairs are carried out to the Spa's floors, plus £3m in interest owed by the authority.
The cost alone to the council is set to be in the order of £30m. This excludes any subsequent costs from claims bought by the previous contractor Mowlem, which was sacked in April.
The council will be seeking money itself from Mowlem and is owed around £8m by the Millennium Commission, which has withheld lottery funding for the project until it is satisfied that it will be completed.
Hanney said the council had allocated enough funds through its capital finance plan to meet the immediate costs.
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