Cost of Aberdeen maternity hospital and cancer centre jump £60m

The estimated cost of a new maternity hospital and cancer centre in Aberdeen has risen by nearly £60m.

The Baird Family Hospital and Anchor cancer centre was originally a £163.7m scheme.

The estimated cost of the project now stands at £223.6m. Construction has been delayed while costs were assessed.

Construction of the buildings - located next to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary (ARI) - is due to begin in May, subject to Scottish government approval.

The Baird Family Hospital will provide maternity and breast screening services, as well as a neonatal unit and operating theatre.

The Anchor centre would provide services for haematology and oncology patients.

The cost increase was revealed in a report that came before the NHS Grampian board on Thursday.

The full business case will now be submitted to the Scottish government.

Project director Jackie Bremner said: "Once the business case approvals are in place, plans for the main programme of works will commence."

NHS Grampian assistant finance director Garry Kidd said of the increase in costs: "It's really the result of us going out to the market and that's what the market are telling us what the project is going to cost.

"So when you say it's over budget, the cost plan is £60m higher than we'd originally estimated, but that was just an estimate."

Baird Family Hospital clinical lead Mike Munro said: "It's been disappointing that we've had to pause the project. Everybody was so excited about this building going up. We just want to move on and get it built."

Construction work on the project was originally due to start last year, but was put on hold to review the costs involved.

That review found that the original plan did not sufficiently reflect the complexity of the project and that there had been an "inadequate" cost plan.

The Baird Family Hospital is not now expected to open until 2023.

The Anchor centre is expected to open in 2022.

The Scottish government said the cost increase had been due to a "range of factors".

A spokeswoman added: "It is entirely appropriate that the project was paused while an independent review of costs was undertaken.

"That review is now complete, and subject to the full business case being approved by the NHS capital investment group, we would expect construction to start shortly."