PLANS for a centre encouraging active lifestyles are being scaled down after the cheapest tender for the work came in at almost £½million over budget.

Organisers behind the Centre for Outdoor Activities and Community Hub are also looking for an extra £80,000 from two backers to go ahead with the project in Taunton’s French Weir Park.

Their original proposals to replace the public toilet block with a new building with storage for kayaks, rowing boats and bikes, a cafe, meeting room, gym and fitness facilities, along with a boat lift and toilets which could be used by the public already have planning permission.

They had secured £730,000 of funding, including £454,000 from Sport England and £200,000 from Taunton Deane Council from the sale of the former Taunton Youth and Community Centre to Lidl supermarket.

The council is also leasing the land to COACH on a peppercorn rent.

But they were shocked to discover the lowest price quoted for the work was £1.3million, way above the £860,000 they had expected.

Sport England has worked with the group on revising the plans and put up a further £30,000, while the trustees, who believe they can attract a further £30,000 match funding, are asking the Deane for an extra £50,000.

A report to next Tuesday’s community scrutiny committee at the Deane House outlines how the high costs of the work were caused by high overheads due to the location; the need for a temporary road across the park; temporary toilets during the work; the need for extra depth piling; and the cost of abnormal materials and labour price increases.

Community leisure manager Alison North said: “Whilst the facility is not a council asset, it will sit on council land.

“Should the project fail to be sustainable, there may be public expectations on the council to continue to run the facility.”

She is recommending that the scrutiny committee ask full council to agree to provide a further £50,000 from the sale of the former Taunton Youth and Community Centre site.