The opening of the controversial Sheerness Gateway Centre has been delayed.

It was hoped the one-stop shop for public services would have opened this month, but Swale council has been forced to re-tender its main contractor.

Although work had started on the £1.3m project, the council said because the preferred contractor was not willing to absorb the cost implications of any risks of running over time and budget, they had to re-tender.

The centre is in the former Woolworths in the High Street.

The store closed in 2009 and the building has been empty since.

A council spokesman said it is a short process and tender submissions were due to be put in yesterday (Wednesday).

He said the council is aiming for a contractor to be on site by the end of April with the centre opening in the summer.

The Gateway, which will house services including Kent Police, Kent Fire and Rescue, Job Centre Plus, Age Concern and social services, is a joint venture with Kent County Council (KCC) and Swale council, which is providing £300,000.

It will also house staff from Swale, who will relocate from the council’s base in Trinity Road, Sheerness, and KCC.

In February, we reported how Swale council had been forced to defend claims that the Gateway is a waste of money.

Members of the Times Guardian’s Facebook group had said the High Street was old fashioned and a retail unit would have been better in the prominent location.

Others suggested it could have become a Wetherspoon’s pub.

The spokesman added: “After some really positive initial strides forward, we are disappointed that it has been necessary to re-tender for the main contractor for the Gateway.

“The council and KCC remain extremely committed to this key regeneration project and we are pushing that a contractor will be on site by the end of the month and that the Gateway will now open in the summer.”

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