As we reported here, the Not For Profit planned to start construction on the long-awaited $21 million 100-bed facility last year after spending years raising funds for the development.
But VCACS told the local paper Geelong Council’s engineers spent 18 months considering the facility’s stormwater management – a cost of between $350,000 and $500,000.
Chairman Joe Pavlovic said the delays had also meant the service could not meet its obligations for the State Government deal – which had signed over the lease for the $2 million-plus land at a peppercorn rate per annum in 2014 – nearly losing them the project.
He also added the council was also requesting VCACS pay more than $80,000 for the establishment of a nature strip at the Barton St site – further endangering the over-budget project.
A reminder that it does not take much to derail a new development – even one with Government support.
