Guisborough Forest visitor centre costs rise by £140,000

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 15 Oct, 16:33 · Archive

Collapsed pipes and damaged cables discovered during refurbishment of Guisborough Forest visitor centre added £140,000 to its cost.

A refurbishment of Guisborough Forest visitor centre has exceeded its original budget by £140,000, bringing the final cost to £790,000 instead of the initial £650,000. The project was funded by Government levelling up funding distributed in 2023.

The cost increase stemmed from unforeseen structural issues. Surveys revealed several sections of collapsed pipework in the car park's drainage infrastructure, which had to be replaced. The building also required a complete rewire with new cabling after damaged cables were identified. Additional work expanded the project scope beyond its original plan, including kitchen replacement, new servery and worktops, new suspended tiles, decoration and new flooring in previously excluded areas, and external decoration to refresh the building's exterior.

Extended construction time also contributed to the increase. Because contractors remained on site longer while the building was out of action, additional costs arose from providing temporary external toilet facilities for forest walkway users. Redcar and Cleveland Council approved the amended contract with Meldrum Group, the principal contractor. The extra funding will be met partly from the Government allocation and partly from the council's building premises budget.

How it is being reported

• Collapsed pipes and damaged cables add £140,000 to cost of forest visitor centreCollapsed pipework and damaged electric cabling discovered during a refurbishment of the visitor centre at Guisborough Forest contributed towards adding £140,000 to the final cost, it has emerged.Darlington & Stockton Times · 15 Oct, 16:00
• Collapsed pipes and damaged cables add £140,000 to cost of forest visitor centreCollapsed pipework and damaged electric cabling discovered during a refurbishment of the visitor centre at Guisborough Forest contributed towards adding £140,000 to the final cost, it has emerged.The Northern Echo · 15 Oct, 13:00

In this story: Guisborough Forest · Redcar and Cleveland Council · Meldrum Group

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