黑洞社区

The cost of building the Victoria & Albert Museum鈥檚 new Dundee outpost has risen to 拢80.11m - up from the previous figure of 拢45m, it has emerged.

A statement from Dundee City Council confirmed the higher headline pricetag for Japanese architect Kengo Kuma鈥檚 building, which Bam has been selected as main contractor to build.

The Scottish government today announced that it would pour an extra 拢10m into the project, taking its total committed capital investment to 拢25m. As recently as April last year, the government was quoting the project budget figure at 拢45m.

Dundee City Council revealed the new project cost ahead of a meeting of its policy and resources committee, which will discuss financial arrangements for the new museum.

City council leader Ken Guild said the new museum, which is the centrepiece of the wider 拢1 billion Dundee Waterfront Project, was expected to create an 拢11.6m annual boost for its economy.

鈥満诙瓷缜� the V&A Museum of Design Dundee will help attract further investment into Dundee and we expect to see new hotels, retail, housing, office and commercial developments coming to the city,鈥� he said.

鈥淲e are already experiencing unprecedented levels of investor interest in Dundee and the city鈥檚 ongoing and ambitious regeneration will reach another level when the construction phase begins.

鈥淭he council and its partners believe that the time is right to press ahead and deliver for Dundee. We have seen the results of similar projects across Scotland and the world and I want to see those benefits come to our city.鈥�

The city council said the museum would create more than 500 construction jobs and more than 600 full-time staff jobs, adding that work was scheduled to start later this year for completion by the end of 2017. It is due to open to the public by June 2018.

In addition to the latest funding secured from the Scottish government, Dundee said further private fundraising was anticipated to secure an additional 拢6.6m while an extra 拢4.5m was being sought from the Heritage Lottery Fund.