Cost of Harris Museum revamp rockets because of inflation - but councils 'remain committed' to the project

Spiralling construction and energy prices have pushed the total cost of the ambitious scheme to £16.2m, according to figures obtained by the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

However, Preston City Council and Lancashire County Council - which are behind the revamp - have both stepped in to help plug the gap and stress that they remain committed to the transformation of the landmark Grade I-listed building.

The city authority has previously agreed to contribute an extra £1.26m and the county council’s cabinet approved an additional £375,000 payment from County Hall at a meeting on Thursday.

The National Lottery Heritage Fund - whose £4.5m grant last year was key to getting the project off the ground - has stumped up a further £250,000.

According to a report presented to county councillors, it is hoped that the remainder of the £2.45m funding gap will be bridged by trusts and foundations associated with the project which are being approached and asked if they can provide additional financial support.

The main phase of the “Reimagining the Harris” scheme began in August when the ceremonial keys for the near 130-year-old building were handed over to Walton-le-Dale-based Conlon Construction, the principal contractor for the works.

The attraction closed just over 12 months ago and is due to re-open in 2024 as the country’s first “blended” museum, art gallery and library – an overhaul designed to attract an extra 100,000 visitors each year to the already popular venue, which drew 360,000 people through its doors in pre-pandemic 2019.

The county council report noted that recent price increases had had “a dramatic impact on the costs for the project which were priced…in 2020, with many [of them since] increasing above the predicted inflation levels”.

The authority’s cabinet member for community and cultural services, Peter Buckley, told colleagues: “We remain committed to the project, having already contributed £250,000 in 2017 and £750,000, which was agreed in 2018.

“It is unfortunate that circumstances totally outside of our control have meant that further funds are now needed, but the extra £375,000 [requested by the city council] will ensure the project can be completed as originally planned,” he said.

County Hall leases 40 percent of the Harris from the city council to house the largest of Lancashire’s libraries, which is currently in a temporary home in the Guild Hall.

Following agreement of the county council’s additional contribution, Preston City Council’s cabinet member for culture and arts, Peter Kelly, said that the Harris revamp is ”central to the extensive regeneration that is currently taking place in Preston city centre”.

He added: “We are all committed to conserving this much-loved heritage building for all to enjoy - and to continue to offer a rich programme of arts and culture for the residents of Preston and for visitors alike.

“The Harris remains the vibrant heart of our community where people want to spend their time and we are confident that despite the rising construction costs and inflation, we remain on track for the delivery of this impactful regeneration scheme in 2024.”

The construction work will include removal of the mezzanine floor within the building and changes to make it a more accessible venue. Original architectural features, which have long been hidden, will also be uncovered as part of the revamp.

County Cllr Buckley added in a statement that the project will bring the Harris “up to modern standards and preserve its heritage, ensuring that this iconic landmark remains the civic focal point for Preston”.

HARRIS REFURBISHMENT BILL BREAKDOWN

£10m - originally-conceived scheme (includes £4.5m National Lottery Heritage Fund grant, £1m from Preston City Council, £1m from Lancashire County Council and contributions from the Preston, South Ribble and Lancashire City Deal, the Friends of the Harris group and public donations)

£2.1m - additionally-agreed funding to date from Preston City Council and Lancashire County Council

£1.9m - from Preston’s £20.9m share of the government’s Towns Fund

£803K - Department for Culture, Media and Sport’s Museum Estates Development Fund

£585K - Arts Council Capital Investment Programme

£450K - Wolfson Foundation/Garfield Weston Trust

£250K - National Lottery Heritage Fund grant uplift

£100K - Local trusts and foundations already supporting the project

£30K - Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities’ Changing Places Fund

TOTAL COST: £16.2m

Source: Preston City Council