The Penrith Voreda House project initiated by Eden Council has seen its costs balloon to a staggering £8.3 million, and completion is now postponed until spring 2024. The Voreda House project has been marred by controversy, financial challenges, and missed deadlines since it was first proposed under the final Rainbow Alliance administration made up of Libdem, Labour Green and the Independent group of councillors of the former Eden Council.
Redevelopment commenced in 2019 with Eden Council purchasing the former Penrith tax office building from the NHS who had used the building as an administrative centre, Eden Council planned to create a single site headquarters for the now defunct district council.
The Voreda House project has been beset by delays and controversy since it was first proposed leading to a split in the former Eden council group of independents over accusations of manipulation and pressure to pass the plans through the former council’s planning committee on three separate occasions.
Eden Council has publicly set multiple completion date that last of these was the final day of Eden Council on the 31st March 2023 on that date the building was still a skeleton shell however.
A spokesperson for Westmorland and Furness Council who inherited the Voreda House project on the 1st of April 2023 have said “The current expected completion date for the Voreda House Project is currently Spring 2024 - The project is currently at RIBA Stage 5”
Eden District Council allocated an initial £4.1million budget for the project. Westmorland and Furness Council Cabinet last week approved additional budget resources that the Full Council will be asked to approval in November that will take the current project budget to £8.3million.
The council spokesperson said “The additional funding the council has said reflects the need for addressing funding shortfalls and the elements of construction and wider project inflation associated with the build and prevailing volatile market conditions.”
“Based on the revised budget, there are currently no identified overspends or shortages to project completion.”
Westmorland and Furness Council is set to approve a list council assets for disposal in December, its not currently known if Voreda House will be considered for disposal by Westmorland and Furness Council given the doubling of initial budget costs for the project and the council operating multiple town halls and office buildings across the Westmorland and Furness District.
The escalating costs and delays to Voreda House has raised questions about project management, accountability, and questions over the councils best use of public money by local residents, business and councillors.
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