Wates is to begin major construction work on the Sandwell Aquatics Centre which will be used in the Commonwealth Games in the New Year, as it emerged that the cost of the project has risen to £73m.
The project was originally expected to cost around £60m. The final budget for the scheme reflected updated costs for groundworks, construction prices and contingencies built in by Sandwell Council and the Birmingham Commonwealth Games budget.
Councillors are set to sign off funding and contract agreements at a meeting next week.
The new facility at Londonderry Lane in Smethwick will host the swimming and diving events at the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games.
Sandwell Council will contribute £27m with another £38.5m coming from the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games budget. A further £7.6m is funded by other partners including Sport England, Black Country LEP, Sandwell Leisure Trust and the University of Wolverhampton.
When complete, the centre will have a 50m Olympic-sized swimming pool, a 25m diving pool and a studio pool along with 1,000 permanent spectator seats. Additional seating will be added on a temporary basis for the Games.
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The problem is access. It is in a residential area with narrow roads, limited parking and a long way from major transport networks. Just glad don’t live near it.
Peter Smith,
I live near it and whilst the much needed facility is welcome the local community have maintained concerns about access, congestion and impact to local routes.
In true sandwell council style, they carry on regardless.
As for the costs, it was always going to spiral, let’s hope sandwell get value for money add increase costs doesn’t always reflect in the build quality.
What a surprise! Grandiose projects like this always exceed their original budget….but the ‘money tree’ always bails them out!
This building looks like an out-of-town DIY store [apparently no ambition for the design, mundane materials etc etc] rather than an international standard sporting venue.
If the CGIs indicate such poverty of design, I hold out little hope for the actual building.
One has to question the strategic decision to put the building on a site remote from transport networks.