A council has once again come to the rescue of an ambitious new cultural centre due to open next week.

The Amelia Scott centre in Civic Way, Tunbridge Wells was first devised in 2019 and will combine the town’s museum, art gallery, library and Kent Adult Education into one building.

But spiralling costs have seen original estimates smashed and millions of pounds of additional funding required.

When construction started in 2020 the project was given a £20.6 million budget, with Tunbridge Wells Borough Council forking out £11.2m to back the centre.

However, just weeks before it is due to open to the public, the centre was forced to ask for another £468,000 as other fundraising efforts fell short and the cost of construction and raw equipment continue to sky-rocket.

This isn’t the first time costs of the project have increased. Before construction started, council officers expected the Amelia to cost £16.1m back in 2019.

The centre is due to open on Thursday, April 28.

At a cabinet meeting last Thursday, councillors approved the additional funding for the centre, confident it could deliver a return on their investment.

Cabinet charman Tom Dawlings (Cons) said: “I think we all understand the difficulties we’ve encountered during the construction phase, mainly Covid and the inflation pressures.

“I think the outcome will be fantastic and the opening programme that is emerging is really exciting.”

Meanwhile, council officer Paul Taylor referenced a study at the Turner Contemporary art gallery in Margate: “For every pound spent on that project, it returned around £4 of investment.

“Whilst we have spent significant amounts of money to build the Amelia Scott, to protect the heritage, I think it will be paid back many times over.

“I think there is evidence out there that heritage is able to generate that type of investment.”

The extra funding was unanimously agreed by the council’s cabinet.