Supply issues in the construction industry could push Helensburgh’s new leisure centre over budget, key figures involved in the project have admitted.
The scheme’s project manager has also told councillors that contractors on site have been waiting four to five weeks for a delivery of concrete, although the impact on the schedule is currently unknown.
The new leisure centre is currently scheduled to open in August 2022, with work having progressed on its site behind the town’s current swimming pool for several months.
The pool was originally scheduled to open in April 2020 and cost £17m.
A report on its progress went before councillors at a meeting of Argyll and Bute Council’s Helensburgh and Lomond area committee today.
At the meeting, Cllr Richard Trail questioned whether delivery issues had been experienced.
He said: “Can you tell me if there have been any issues with getting deliveries of materials to the site? I know with the construction industry that some areas have been experiencing real difficulty.”
Project manager Andrew Collins replied: “Until about two to three weeks ago we had not encountered any real issues. Concrete and steel deliveries and other deliveries for the site have been fine for the first 40-plus weeks.
“But we are now starting to encounter problems with materials around timber, concrete and cement, along with some other items.
“There are now longer waiting times and we are monitoring that very closely with the contractors to see how it is going to affect the programme of delivery.”
Cllr Trail then followed up by saying: “It might also affect the budget, because prices of materials are going up quickly now.”
Mr Collins responded: “We are in discussions with the contractor on what effect that may have. For example, we have waited four to five weeks for a concrete delivery to complete the concrete on the eastern slipway.
“I am sure we will encounter supply problems going forward.”
Gary Mulvaney, the local authority’s policy lead for financial services and major projects, then said: “I was speaking to somebody else unconnected to this project about timber costs going up by about 30% in the last five to six months.
“Not only is there a shortage but there are issues with lack of supply from northern Scandinavia, and everybody doing building and home extensions.
“So we are fortunate in that we do not have a high timber content within the building.
“However, Andrew is right – other supply costs will push our costs up.
“At the moment we are right to say we are within budget and we just have to keep as tight a hold on that as possible.
“As we go into the internal fittings, with more contractors on site, we might see more exposure to what is happening in the market. We will wait and see what happens.”
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