The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Cost of Caird Park sports centre rockets
Council report claims rising costs due to increased scope of project and weak pound
The cost of building the elite performance sports centre in Caird Park has risen by more than £12.5 million.
The Regional Performance Centre for Sport (RPCS), which was approved by Dundee City Council’s development management committee in August, was to cost around £20m.
It has emerged the centre will cost more than £32m to complete.
A report on capital expenditure monitoring, compiled by executive director of corporate services Gregory Colgan, blames the increase on the “increased scope” of the project, as well as a weak pound and “current market conditions”.
Union chief and campaigner against the RPCS, Jim Malone, said: “The Care for Caird group spent a lot of time with councillors explaining the difficulty this project would bring. The planning issues have been brushed under the carpet and the council last year had to accept the failings planning this centre after the Scottish Government intervened.”
North-east region Scottish Conservative MSP Bill Bowman said: “It is concerning to hear the council is going to pay more than 150 per cent of the original projected cost.
“With council budgets so tight, and no sign the Scottish Government will change its tack on cutting local authority settlements, the cost to the public purse is hard to swallow.”
Councillors will meet on Monday at the policy and resources committee to be appraised on the council’s capital plan and note the report.
Mr Colgan’s report said: “The increase in budget allowance of £12,525,000 is to reflect the substantially changed and increased scope of the project over the original scheme, required through ongoing design development with key stakeholders and opportunities that have arisen.”
It states these include a new £5m energy centre with district heating capability, energy efficient tensile building structures for the indoor 3G pitch and athletics building, increased floor areas, furniture and sports equipment and upgrades to the athletics track and velodrome.
The report adds: “The additional funding of £12.525m has been included in the capital plan 2018-23 and is funded from a combination of additional grant of £1m and borrowing.”
Dundee City Council leader John Alexander said: “The increase in budget for the Regional Performance Centre for sport reflects the extended scope of this ambitious project over the original scheme. We carried out extensive consultation with stakeholders before the revised plans were approved.”