A new café and amenities at a town centre beauty spot could cost about £500k.

Budget estimations for the development of a café and toilets at Lister Gardens in Lyme Regis were presented to Lyme Regis Town Council’s strategy and finance committee, with project designers John Stark Crickmay Partnership (JSCP) advising two design options could cost £436,000 and £417,000.

At the meeting, the town clerk warned that the figures contained in the quantity surveyor’s report did not include professional fees and that these might add a further £45k to the total cost.

These concerns were also backed by Cllr John Broom, who spoke of the potential to overspend on the project and feared the actual costs could easily exceed the indicated figures. 

The town council originally set aside £60,000 for the project, aimed at redeveloping the green space, when it was first proposed in December 2016. 

It was reconsidered back in June, when members looked at a design submitted by JSCP, and the cost was estimated to be in the region of £308,000. 

At the strategy and finance committee last week, Cllr Brian Larcombe questioned the value of the project.

He emphasised the importance of being able to convince residents that it was a sensible thing to do; especially given the potential impact on this council of impending local government re-organisation. He said he was concerned that it would become a commitment rather than an asset and would shackle any future administration.

Cllr Stan Williams questioned the need for another café in the town and drew attention to what he considered to be better uses of such significant funding; including facilities for the elderly and the potential to develop the site at Strawberry Fields.

Cllr Michaela Ellis emphasised that the proposed café and toilets had the potential to be a valuable assets for the town, as well as provide an improved facility for the council’s amenity staff, whose current wooden hut would need to be replaced soon in any event. This was backed by Cllr Cheryl Reynolds.