The new Harpenden Leisure Centre is due to be completed by January 2021. There have been delays on the Cultural Centre, but it too is due to open early next year.
There have been significant recent cost overruns on this build. Of the seven significant active construction projects managed by the Liberal Democrat administration at St Albans and District Council, all are late and six are overbudget. The collective overrun is currently around £13m.
Notably, CCOS South in St Albans is 17 months behind schedule and has seen a massive jump in budget, the Harpenden Leisure & Culture Centre is one month behind and over budget, the Public Halls development is 3 months behind the Lib Dem schedule, and Noke Shot is 21 months behind schedule and over budget.
The Lib Dems have also tried to change the proposed name of the cultural building despite the Council’s promise to Eric Morecambe’s family that we’d take it across from the old theatre, recognising their past fundraising efforts for the Harpenden Public Hall.
