Work stopped on £1.2m eco-centre

WORK on a new visitors' centre has ground to a halt as a result of the credit crunch.

A state-of-the-art £1.2 million eco-centre at Westport Lake, in Longport, is now "substantially behind schedule".

British Waterways, the organisation in charge of carrying out the work, said the project is expected to be finished in "weeks rather than months" but a search now has to be started for a new contractor.

Asset and programming manager Darren Green said problems were first caused by operational difficulties and then the "economic downturn" contributed to the delay.

He said: "However, work on the project is now virtually complete.

"We expect to appoint another contractor shortly, which means the building will be completed soon.

"We are aware the project has fallen substantially behind schedule and want to assure everyone that we are working with our partners to deliver a high quality amenity well ahead of the new visitor season to Westport Lake.

"The eco-friendly building will be a fantastic addition to the area both for local communities and the increasing number of visitors to the nature reserve."

No other details surrounding the problems have been released and British Waterways could not say when the development was halted.

Work on the building was started in February last year with a visit from pupils at Brownhills Maths and Computing College, in Tunstall.

The project, which will provide facilities such as a study area, an exhibition area, toilets, a ranger office and a cafe, was expected to be completed by late summer last year.

The centre has been designed on stilts to give better views of the lake and canal and almost £100,000 has been invested in renewable energy technology.

Among those who have raised concerns about the delays is Stoke-on-Trent North MP Joan Walley, who marked the start of the work with Brownhills pupils.

She said: "I am concerned to learn of ongoing delays for the completion of the new visitors' centre at Westport Lake and how the delays are affecting local residents and visitors to the site alike. These delays are not the faults of local residents and as such this delay is unacceptable."

Diane Hughes has lived in Botesworth Gardens for five years. Her home faces the centre and she is concerned about the security of the site.

She said: "It has become an eyesore.

"It worries me because there are kids getting on to the site and there is hardly any security. Sometimes we see a guard in a yellow jacket but it's only every couple of days.

"The work which they have completed is actually getting damaged now, bits of plastic have come off the building and they are blowing around the lake. It's not really very environmentally friendly."

Colin Crowther, aged 35, also of Botesworth Gardens, said: "People living here are very disappointed. We just want them to hurry up and finish it.

"I objected to the development when it was at the planning stage and now it just needs to be finished."