by Phil Wellbrook

The proposed cost of building a controversial community centre on a popular green space have almost doubled in a year.

Town councillors have accused bosses of a lack of clarity over how much the development, earmarked for the memorial recreational ground in Paddock Wood, will cost.

When the plans were first announced a year ago, costs were estimated at £1.5 million but last week, at a council meeting, it was revealed they could now be £2.8m.

Council bosses say it is only now they have a better idea of what is required from the project, after the quantity surveyor has been able to give a better idea of costs involved in the project.

However, the authority said it erred on the side of caution until fully detailed plans are in, meaning final costs could still be well below £2.8m.

Nevertheless, councillors and campaigners have responded with anger at how drastically the figure has changed.

Cllr Ray Steward said: “They should have been up front from the beginning.

“There was an idea of how much it would cost because the people who do these buildings are doing quite a few so they understand the cost implications.

“It seems the way they are going to try and get the costs back down again is by making the building less adaptable and less nice to look at.”

The site was chosen out of a dozen proposed, primarily because the site had to be on council-owned land.

Cllr Meryl Flashman said: “We needed to build the centre on a site which we owned. If we had to buy the land we couldn’t then afford the building.

“There were so many problems with the other sites and this was the best”.

A petition set up to put pressure on the council has been signed 400 times.

Concerned residents have been voicing their opinions to the council and an online petition has been set up to put pressure on the council.

So far, it’s already been signed nearly 400 times.

The public have been able to have an influence on the council - recently a banner placed outside the site which suggested the plans are ready to go ahead but locals have judged it to be misleading as the project has still not been confirmed.

The council will now replace it.

Advanced RIBA Stage 3 plans will be voted on in a meeting in January next year.