Stockton Council faces a £950,000 challenge due to unexpected drainage problems at Preston Park, jeopardizing planned upgrades
Stockton: The council is in a bit of a pickle over drainage issues at Preston Park. They’re looking at nearly £1 million in extra costs, which is a real bummer for their plans to revamp the park’s old aviary.
They’ve already spent a chunk of change on fixing drainage problems that popped up during a big £12.4 million project. Now, they need to scrape together another £950,000 to keep the aviary and other upgrades on the table. If they can’t find the cash, those plans might just go down the drain.
This is a tough spot for the Labour-led council, which is already dealing with a £6.6 million overspend this year. They’re trying to figure out how to fill an £8.7 million gap in the coming years, so this new financial headache isn’t exactly welcome.
They’ve been working on a two-storey extension to the Preston Park Museum for about a year now. It’s supposed to include space for major exhibitions and a better café and parking. The project is funded by the Levelling Up Fund from the previous government, but now they’re in a tight spot.
They also want to spruce up the aviary, make it more accessible, and even replace an old gatehouse with something that highlights the historic Stockton and Darlington Railway. But those drainage issues have thrown a wrench in the works.
A council report says the old drainage system just doesn’t cut it anymore. They need a big water tank and a bunch of new drainage to meet current standards, which is where that £950,000 comes in.
While the council insists they can still deliver the main project within the original budget, the money set aside for the aviary and other features has already been spent on fixing the drainage. So, they’re left with a tough choice: find more money or cut those plans altogether.
They’ve got two options on the table. One is to dig deep and find the extra cash, while the other is to scrap the aviary and railway features and just stick to the exhibition space and café. The council’s leadership is leaning towards finding the funds, but it’s a big ask.
They’ve been warned that if they don’t go ahead with the aviary and other features, they might still need to demolish the South Lodge gatehouse since it’s in bad shape. That could mess with the railway’s 200th anniversary celebrations.
Despite the hiccup, the council says the overall project isn’t delayed. They expect the new extension to be done by late spring, with the café and other facilities opening around the same time. Councillor Nigel Cooke mentioned that these kinds of unexpected issues often come up when dealing with historic buildings.
So, they’re pushing to fix the drainage within the existing contract and are hoping to secure the investment needed to make the rest of the improvements happen. Fingers crossed they can sort it out!
