The architects who designed a "landmark" art centre for Kent which was scrapped when costs soared too high may be sued by the county council.

The litigation will be over millions of pounds of Kent taxpayers' money. The legal battle was exclusively revealed by KM Group political editor Paul Francis in March but has now been confirmed by KCC.

The gallery, designed by a Norwegian firm of architects, was to be built beside Margate pier to honour the work of top British artist Turner and revitalise the town. Part of the building would have been in the sea.

Costs spiralled to about £40 million and the county council pulled out.

However it left the taxpayers with a bill of about £7million already spent on the project and the two-year battle for a compensation settlement has already cost the authority hundreds of thousands of pounds in legal fees and other costs.

Turner, regarded by many as Britain's greatest artist, was a regular visitor to Margate and did much of his work there.

The county council said today that its legal team was confident that the next phase of action, which includes litigation, will "reap benefits in reaching an agreed settlement" possibly by the end of the year.

KCC Cabinet Member for Community Services Mike Hill said it was disappointing that the "landmark" design had to be scrapped but completion costs would have been well above budget.

"It was disappointing that it could not be continued," he said, "however it is important that we remain determined in taking the appropriate action to recoup the costs and I hope an amicable settlement can be reached as swiftly as possible.”

'Turner Mark One’ was scrapped in February 2006. A second version of the gallery is to be being built - on land - at an estimated cost of £17.4million.

~ In 2005 Turner's Fighting Temeraire was voted as the British people's favourite painting.