Bovis scheme now slated to cost £525m and finish eight months later than previously planned
Contractors going bust, getting hold of labour and problems sourcing materials have helped saddle Purcell’s Manchester Town Hall refurbishment with another £95m of costs.
In an announcement at the end of last week, the city council said the cost of restoring of Alfred Waterhouse’s grade I-listed landmark had gone up to £525m with the latest figure due to be signed off by its executive next week.
Bovis is carrying out the job under a management contracting deal has had been on site since 2020 – when the firm won the scheme when it was known as Lendlease. The original budget was £330m with a completion date of 2024.
In last week’s update, the council said the job had been “impacted by a unique combination of challenges since its construction phase started”.
It said the impact of the pandemic and the Ukraine war had already helped push up costs – not all of which relate to construction – and added: “More directly project-related factors include a shortage of specialist labour capacity in the supply chain, issues with the supply of materials (which under strict heritage rules need to closely match those used in the original construction) and ongoing discovery of further construction challenges.”
It admitted: “These issues have continued to assail the project since the last major update in October 2024. For instance, the wider construction industry is experiencing a steep rise in the number of companies falling into administration. Three of the contractors delivering works packages as part of the project have gone into administration in the last six months alone.
“Sourcing the required materials is also difficult. As an example, this summer the project’s principal stone contractor advised that the quarry from which approved stone (closely matching that used in the original construction) was ceasing to supply the construction industry in bulk. This has caused delay as an alternative source of suitable stone is found.”
The council said a previous completion date of August next year had now been pushed back to spring 2027.
Deputy council leader Garry Bridges said: “Like everyone, we have been frustrated by the increased time and cost involved. But if we had not acted decisively to invest in the future of this Victorian masterpiece, many parts of which were reaching the end of their natural lifespans, we would have seen it become unusable and obsolete.”
The council said most of the external work had been completed with work now concentrating on the interior of the grade I building which was first completed in 1877.
Manchester Town Hall was completed in 1877 and is considered one of the most significant gothic-revival buildings in the UK. It is known for its complex layout, elaborate interior detailings and its 85m-tall clock tower.
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