Cost of Shrewsbury's Quantum Leap now over £1m

THE COST OF Shrewsbury's controversial Quantum Leap sculpture has more than doubled to top £1 million – with taxpayers footing the bill.

The sculpture in Mardol Quay – dubbed The Slinky – had been due to cost £483,000.

It was created to mark the 200th anniversary of the birth of the town's most famous son Charles Darwin in 2009.

But work on the sculpture, commissioned by the former Shrewsbury and Atcham Borough Council, had to be extended after problems were discovered with the alignment of ribs on its arch which caused the cost of the project to spiral by an extra £410,000.

Shropshire Council, which inherited the project, today revealed it was having to pay the bill after it lost a battle with Alun Griffiths Contractors over the extra expense.

• Podcast: To hear Shropshire radio station The Severn speaking to Shropshire Council Cabinet member Steve Charmley on Quantum Leap costs, click on the podcast button.

And it revealed that in addition to the extra costs, professional expert advice and legal fees had also cost £115,000.

The problem with the alignment of the ribs on the arch was discovered in the summer of 2009. The project, which was designed by architect Pearce & Lal, was not completed until March, 2010.

Councillor Steve Charmley, Shropshire Council's cabinet member for health and wellbeing said: "Just over a million for a piece of art is a huge price. But it is not something we could do a lot about. It was beyond the point of no return when problems were discovered. We had to continue.

"I'm appalled we have to pay £1 million for it. Obviously mistakes were made and now Shropshire Council is picking up the tab for it, along with the taxpayer."

Wranglings over who should foot the bill for the delay lasted until July, when an independent adjudicator ordered that the delays and additional costs were the result of an inadequate design specification and SABC was liable, with Shropshire Council inheriting the responsibility for the bill.

Julian Davies, from Alun Griffiths Contractors, said he had no comment to make.

No-one from Pearce & Lal was available for comment.

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