Alarm sounded as cost of new public health base hits £1bn

THE cost of a new headquarters for Public Health England’s replacement has nearly trebled to more than £1billion, insiders have revealed, as ministers were last night under pressure to shelve the plans.

The Sunday Telegraph has learnt that rebels inside PHE have mounted a lastditch attempt to squash the proposals to build the new base for the National Institute for Health Protection in Harlow, Essex.

Last week it emerged that senior figures in the Treasury had sounded alarm over the costs set out in the business case. Now sources have revealed there is an “internal war” raging within PHE, with opponents of the Harlow

The costs and infighting within PHE have caused concern among senior figures in Government

project calling for funding to be scaled back and investment diverted to rebuilding its existing facilities at Porton Down, Wiltshire.

Separately, PHE insiders claim the internal cost estimates for the Harlow campus have surged in recent years, up from £350million originally to more than £1billion.

Their concerns appear to be supported by figures leaked to The Sunday Telegraph, which show that as of last March year, the total spend on PHE’s “Science Hub Programme” had already hit £139million. The approved future budget from April last year also stood at £747million, according to the figures, suggesting the total costs associated with the transition to Harlow are already close to £900million.

PHE declined to comment on the costs. It is understood that the costs and infighting within PHE have caused concern among senior figures in government, with sources signalling an about-turn could be on the horizon.