Manchester’s flagship Factory arts centre is still on target to be completed within budget, the city council claim, despite the supply chain bottleneck and rising materials costs that are plaguing the UK construction industry. The Manchester Evening News reports that the project is however ‘at high risk.’

The Factory project has already experienced budget problems, with the initial figure of £110m being increased to £186m, the publication reports. The extra funds were obtained through loans from Manchester City Council. The opening date has also been pushed back from 2019 to the end of 2022 due to the effects of the coronavirus lockdown.

The venue is at the site of the former Granada TV studios, and once complete, it will serve as the year-round home for the Manchester International Festival. The site will host a range of cultural events, including dance, theatre, music, opera, and the visual arts, and will feature the latest digital technologies.

The report on current progress due to be submitted to the council states: “The project is reporting to budget, with some packages being delivered under budget. But some increased risks on the market appetite for some of the remaining packages and notable increases in the prices of materials and the supply of goods.”

“In common with the wider construction industry, the project is working hard to manage warnings of material cost increases and more significant supply chain issues, particularly in structural steel, concrete and timber as a result of Covid-19 and Brexit, along with potential product and labour shortages as a result of restricted travel across Europe.”

Alterations to the design specifications had to be made in April 2021, when concerns were raised about fire safety. Originally, a synthetic polymer was to be used, but this has now been replaced with a standing seam metal roof. Sir Richard Leese, leader of the council, said the Factory was expected to add £1.1bn to the city’s economy over a decade.

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