A top construction lawyer has called for a project to put the V&A in the Caird Hall and give Dundee a brand new conference and concert venue to be looked at again.
Dundee-born Hamish Carlton, former senior legal counsel to one of the world’s largest companies of construction engineers, was commenting on the furore over the escalating cost of the V&A.
The bombshell announcement that the project that began life costing £45 million has risen to more than £80m has brought much criticism on the city council and sparked calls for a public inquiry.
The new figure puts the construction cost of the V&A just behind the £414m Scottish Parliament in the standard pounds per square metre measurement used by the industry.
“I think it could rise to as much as £120m because of my long experience on projects of this type,” Mr Carlton said.
“It is very difficult to stick to a fixed price for projects such as these as there are so many things involved.
“I was not in the slightest bit surprised that the cost has gone way ahead of the original estimate.”
An alternative presented at the time was for the V&A to be accommodated within the existing cityscape but in a fashion as dramatic as Kengo Kuma’s creation on the banks of the Tay.
Mr Carlton said: “That was for a very interesting project and in view of what has happened I would like to see it looked at again to see if it can be resurrected especially if it will cost no more than £45m.”
A Dundee City Council spokesman said: “A report on construction of the V&A will be considered by the city council’s policy and resources committee on Monday January 26.
“There will be an opportunity for councillors to debate the report at the meeting where they will decide the council’s future course of action.”