Plans to transform a major landmark in the town centre are projected to cost nearly £1 million more than expected due to Covid-19.

Up to £5 million has been set aside for the redevelopment of the Grade II listed Acacia Hall next to Dartford Central Park.

Works were approved in 2018 to give the mansion house a face lift with some historical features retained and enhanced, while others such as the ballroom have now been demolished.

But delays caused by the onset of the Covid-19 have led to rising costs and are now expected to rise by around £900,000, a council capital monitoring report has confirmed.

It read: "The regeneration of the Acacia Estate is a complex and far-reaching project and work had reached a critical stage just prior to the Covid-19 outbreak and national lockdown.

"The outbreak caused unavoidable delays in the second quarter of the year but the site is now progressing well and moving forward, although there is no reasonable prospect of recovering time lost."

In addition the report also lists the availability of materials, related River Darent restoration works and asbestos removal as reasons behind spiralling costs.

The council has requested that money be wired from the suspended leisure and open spaces budget to plug the gap, and a final decision will go before full cabinet for approval tomorrow.

A cabinet advisory panel meeting on Monday heard it was a "complicated and complex project" and that lots of unforeseen costs had only become apparent once works had commenced.

Newtown Cllr Adrian Oakley-Dow (Lab) sought clarification that this cash transfer would not undermine future leisure improvement works, but was told the council had flexibility to move items around with a view to giving the full budget back next year.

Elsewhere there were underspends forecast in other parts of the capital programme including cliff maintenance works and works to Darenth Creek.

Commenting on Acacia Hall, Cllr Calvin McLean (Con) said: "It it is not uncommon when you are doing a project like this for things to come up."

"You always try and budget for these things but not everything can be foreseen until you start stripping stuff out that's just the very nature of doing a major capital programme.

"I think everyone will agree Acacia Hall is a worthwhile project, investing in an asset we have got, taking into consideration all the other work we are doing in the town centre."

Cllr Rebecca Storey said it would be a shame not to invest in the project, adding Dartford needed more than just "modern stuff".

Entrance to the site is now diverted across Darenth Road with work underway on three new bridges.

Alterations to the existing car park are also proposed, with kerbs under construction bumping up the number of spaces from 220 to 360.

Work is now scheduled for completion in February 2021.

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