Cost of Plymouth city centre scheme lowered by £7m

Plymouth City Council has said it expects its Armada Way scheme to come in nearly £7m lower than originally estimated, ahead of a Cabinet meeting that could approve works starting next month.

The council has set its ambition to bring a large amount of residential development into the centre and bringing vacant buildings back to life.

Construction of the Armada Way scheme is now estimated at £29.9m, significantly below the “ballpark estimate”.

The Council has said that “62% of the scheme will be funded from sources other than the City Council”, although this figure includes Council borrowing and receipts from the sale of surplus property, as well as Government grant and funding.

Cllr Tudor Evans, leader of Plymouth City Council, said: “Now that we have completed our exploratory trial pits, we have clarity on the scope of the works needed, enabling us to have detailed conversations with the contractor.

“Let’s be clear, creating a city centre that we all can be proud of cannot be done on the cheap. Construction costs have gone up exponentially in recent years – the cost of materials alone has more than doubled.

“We are trying to create something really special that will be a real focal point for our city. Plymouth deserves the best as we embark on a new chapter for our unique city centre.”

There have been some changes to the designs, including delaying redevelopment of the piazza, as there are other improvement works planned in the area such as Royal Parade, and moving solar panels which will contribute to powering the urban drainage system.

Plymouth City Council’s cabinet will consider the costs of the scheme at its meeting next Monday and if agreed, contracts will be signed with the contractor and work will start in October.