A local authority needs to find an extra one million pounds to continue building new council homes.

Work started on the third phase of Dartford council’s new build programme in early 2020 to construct 34 homes on the site of disused garages and a former council depot.

Three of the schemes, in Milton Road and Keary Road, Swanscombe, and Mead Crescent, on the Tree Estate, Dartford, have since been completed.

But works on the final and largest site, to provide a mix of 14 flats and two houses, in Gilbert Close, Swanscombe, have yet to start.

The contractors were initially awarded around £6.58m to deliver all four schemes with the Gilbert Close element costing around £3.12m

Now, council officers have said that due to delays caused by the pandemic and significant redesigns to satisfy archaeological surveys, an extra £1.15m will be required to complete it.

In their report, which is set to be discussed by cabinet members, they said the archaeological dig run by Kent County Council’s (KCC) team became “significant and long-term” which was “unexpected”.

It added: “The council had no control over this process and was completely at the behest of the KCC team, as without fulfilling their needs, the relevant planning condition could not be discharged, and construction work cannot start.”

These works cost the local authority an additional £250,000 which was not allocated in its original budget.

The archaeology team also said the original foundation proposals were “unacceptable” due to the subsoil so the project needed to be redesigned at an “additional and unavoidable” price of £300,000 – which was again unbudgeted.

The report also states that construction costs have increased since the pandemic so the contractor submitted a claim of more than £600,000 to cover these.

After consulting with an independent surveyor, council officers say this request was “reasonable”.

For the Gilbert Close development to move forward, officers said, the additional cost of £1,150,000 would need to be paid or the project would need to be redesigned or it would need to be retendered.

If not, the only other option officers put forward was for construction work to stop and the project left incomplete.

“Clearly, this is a difficult decision with pros and cons for the four options available, with different risks attached to each, however; it is felt that the overriding priority of the council should be to provide the housing that is needed for Dartford council tenants,” the report concluded.

Officers have recommended members approve the additional costs and continue with the project.

The report is set to be discussed at a cabinet meeting on Thursday (July 20).