At a meeting of the full council held in Kendal on Thursday, questions were asked of the Cabinet Member for Finance, Cllr Jarvis, regarding the council's increasing costs on its Voreda House project in Penrith. The inquiries arose following the council’s announcement that costs for Voreda House had now increased to £8.3 million, a project inherited by the Westmorland and Furness Council from the former Eden District Council.
Cllr Jarvis said Westmorland and Furness Council were not immune to the pressures of inflation, and he attributed some of the increased cost to construction expenses. But that most of the increase on Brexit, Covid, and supply chain difficulties due to the Ukraine-Russia War. He added the council's determination to complete the redevelopment of Voreda House, comparing the project in Penrith to HS2.
In October 2021, the former Eden District Council's executive agreed on the total estimated cost for Voreda House at £3,920,000. This included initial acquisition costs of Voreda House from the NHS at £1,040,000, main construction costs of £2,680,000, and associated professional fees of £200,000 linked to project delivery. Since 2021, costs have escalated to the current £8.3 million, and completion of Voreda House is now expected by spring 2024. The final total cost of the project, which could still increase further, will be known at that time.
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