“This is not the Scottish Parliament.”
Dundee’s director of city development Mike Galloway must regret describing the V&A in such a manner four years ago.
Now, like the Scottish Parliament and Edinburgh trams project before it, the V&A is running wildly over its original budget.
Since the cost was first announced at the start of 2010, project leaders have trumpeted their fiscal prudence as much as the revolutionary impact the museum is expected to have on Dundee’s waterfront.
In fact, the price tag actually dropped from £47 million to £45 million in June 2010 because of new costings even though no design for the building had yet been chosen.
Nevertheless, it was then Mr Galloway felt able to make his proclamation.
Kengo Kuma’s design was selected in November that year. Within a few months rumours were already circulating the cost of the project was beginning to escalate.
This prompted a strongly-worded denial from Dundee University on April Fool’s Day in 2011.
A spokesman said: “The £45 million budget is the one line that’s been drawn in the sand.
“The budget can’t change and it won’t change. Whatever we end up with will have to cost £45 million.”
That same month Design Dundee Ltd appointed consultants Turner and Townsend to deliver the building “on time and on budget”.
Two years later and money pressures meant Kengo Kuma’s building was moved back inland instead of being built out over the Tay, as originally had been planned.
Phillip Long, director of the V&A at Dundee, said this controversial move would keep costs down.
He said: “We want to develop this to the best of our ability within budget and within the timescales.”
A week later, Mr Long offered more reassurances and said changes to the building had been made to keep costs down.
“The design team made it key to keep the project on budget,” Mr Long stressed.
Despite constant rumours the project was over-budget, it was not until last week it was announced it would now cost £80.1 million.