THE REDEVELOPMENT of the Lakeland Forum could cost every man, woman and child in the Fermanagh and Omagh area around £300 each, the Herald can reveal.
Work had been expected to begin on the project this month, however, the Council has now been urged to immediately halt all decisions on the development and pause the project until local rate-payers can be properly consulted on what is happening.
At the minute there has been no confirmation of a final budget cost for the project. Last year it was estimated the project would be in the region of £52 million.
Based on this estimate, and with a population of just over 118,000 in the Fermanagh and Omagh area, the Herald has calculated the redevelopment will cost every person in the local district area over £440 each.
That is per person, not per ratepayer – if divided per rate-paying household the figure would be significantly more.
It should also be noted, that £20 million of the cost of the project has already been granted from central government’s Levelling Up Fund, however, that is also tax-payer funded.
Even if that £20 million is deducted from the estimate, the project will directly cost every person in Fermanagh and Omagh over £270 each.
Concern over the cost and scale of the project has been growing in recent times, and at the October meeting of the Council, due to be held last night (Tuesday) local Cllr Mark Ovens submitted a motion calling for all decisions on the project to be halted for the moment.
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