Asbestos had been discovered on the site, and the cost of its removal had been included in the original tender price, but as work has proceeded far more asbestos has been revealed than originally thought, increasing the cost of the work. READ MORE: Oceana asbestos delay but Swansea Council snaps up six nearby buildings 1 The original contract had a value of 1,180.000. Swansea 2 councillors have now been told the revised total cost of the project is 4,112,000 - a shortfall 2,932,000.
Chris Holley, Lib Dem group leader, and former leader of Swansea Council, said: "I am absolutely flabbergasted. This was supposed to be one of our flagship developments, but now we will have to borrow a substantial sum. "When you consider we are struggling with schools and how far this extra money would go, it is incredible". ABOVE: The building on the Kingsway Penllegaer councillor Wendy Fitzgerald said: "I was never particularly keen on this project in the first place, but to learn of these figures is absolutely shocking. "How wasn't the extend of asbestos cottoned on to?
To have this extra cost when we are so constrained financially is astonishing". And councillor Jeff Jones added: "To hear this is extremely concerning. To find the cost has risen from 1million to 4million is astounding.
Something has gone extremely wrong". READ MORE: Council 'missed opportunities' to make Kingsway safer before police sergeant was killed by bus 3 Before the work began, a survey costing 50,000 was carried out to assess the building. The consultant who carried out the original asbestos survey has been told officers they are to review whether the original report was fit for purpose, with a view to recovering damages if appropriate.
A Swansea Council spokesman said the full extent of the asbestos only fully emerged once work began, and its extent surprised Health and Safety Executive experts, and that an internal audit review of the scheme showed council officers acted in good faith based on the information available. ABOVE: Inside Oceana during work to clear the site Rob Stewart, Swansea Council leader, said: "The Oceana building is a key site for the future regeneration of the city centre. By demolishing it we can make way, subject to funding, for a new office development on site.
This would help kick-start our plans to transform Kingsway into an employment district that would open up thousands of jobs for local people, boost traders and attract new investment by generating a level of footfall that the city centre needs to flourish. "Buildings of this age contain asbestos, but it's only now that we've been able to begin work that the full extent of the asbestos within the building has become clear. Our specialist consultants and contractors have been surprised by the amount of and use of asbestos within the building, and we're in discussions with the company that carried out the original asbestos survey to look into how this has come about to see if costs can be recovered. "Clearly, we have to deal with asbestos in a safe and proper way because public safety will always be our primary concern. The asbestos removal has been carried out by expert contractors under strict conditions and supervision, with on-going HSE involvement.
We cannot do it any other way. READ MORE: No trains will stop at Swansea station next weekend as part of railway upgrade works 4 "As a result, the demolition will take longer than we initially thought and the costs of dealing with it safely have increased. "It also means we can now plan the Kingsway works and begin the much-needed regeneration of the city centre." He added: "To say the extra money could be spent on schools is spurious. We have already put additional money into schools.
And during the eight years of the Lib-Dem led coalition there was little or no development. "We need to redevelop the city centre, and the redevelopment value of the Civic Centre site has a development value of 100million. "Oceana was no money at all, so even with the additional costs from the extra asbestos we are massively in the positive. "There will be no compromise on safety, but also no compromise on the fact we need these new buildings to attract business".
Nino Williams / nino.williams@swwmedia.co.uk / @ninominoli 5 6 7 References ^ Oceana asbestos delay but Swansea Council snaps up six nearby buildings (www.southwales-eveningpost.co.uk) ^ Swansea (www.southwales-eveningpost.co.uk) ^ Council 'missed opportunities' to make Kingsway safer before police sergeant was killed by bus (www.southwales-eveningpost.co.uk) ^ No trains will stop at Swansea station next weekend as part of railway upgrade works (www.southwales-eveningpost.co.uk) ^ Nino Williams (www.southwales-eveningpost.co.uk) ^ nino.williams@swwmedia.co.uk (www.southwales-eveningpost.co.uk) ^ @ninominoli (twitter.com)