Birmingham 2022: Costs set to rise for athletes village

The athletes village for competitors in the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham could cost more to build than first thought, councillors have been told.

Birmingham City Council has promised to build the village for up to 6,500 athletes for the 2022 games.

But its draft financial plan has revealed "cost pressures" mean it cannot build the village as planned within its estimated £492.6m price tag.

It said it was reviewing options to build a village meeting requirements.

The financial plan, discussed at a cabinet meeting on Tuesday, says the "constrained timescales" to build the village have created pressure.

In January it emerged that relocating a bus depot to help realise the athletes village in Perry Barr will cost nearly eight times its original £2m price tag.

The total cost of the 11-day sporting event is £778m, with £184m covered by the council and partners.

The authority must provide an athletes village that meets requirements under its host city contract.

It is funded separately to the council's official contribution to the games budget and will be converted into over 1,400 residential dwellings afterwards.

A review of options is now under way and a new business case will be presented for cabinet consideration in the near future.

It will include looking at "alternative funding opportunities", the report adds.

Opposition Conservative leader Robert Alden said the authority has "lost its grasp" on the situation.

But Labour council leader Ian Ward said: "I think we have an issue that has cropped up... and we are going to work out a solution by talking to our games partners and indeed the government about this issue."

"The games are not at risk, we will come up with a solution."

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