Harrogate Borough Council is set to spend almost double what it planned to repair a collapsed wall in Kirkby Malzeard.
The council is due to appoint construction firm Keir to repair and rebuild the wall at St Andrew’s Church, which collapsed due to heavy rain in February 2020.
Officials at the authority had initially earmarked £250,000 to fund the project, which was given planning approval in February this year.
However, a report due before the council’s urgency committee next week says the project will now cost £491,670.
Council officials said the cost reflected the “volatile nature of the construction market at the moment”.
Jonathan Dunk, executive officer for strategic property and major projects, said in his report:
“The work was not able to be contracted until the planning process was concluded and permissions put in place.
“Any further delay now would create the additional risk of further wall collapse and would mean that the work could not take place over the coming summer months.”
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The increased cost is set to be funded from the council’s investment reserves. If approved, work on the wall is scheduled to start this month and end in September.
The move to repair the wall comes after residents and parish councillors urged the council to end the “farce” of the church wall earlier this year.
Cllr Peter Saxon, of Kirkby Malzeard, Laverton and Dallowgill Parish Council, told the borough council’s planning committee in February:
“Kirkby Malzeard as a community is no stranger to controversial planning decisions. This is not one of them.
“Speaking as the parish council, we presented a unanimous view, as with every resident I have spoken to, to ask you to please, please end this farce.”
