DELAYS in starting one of north Liverpool’s flagship projects – a futuristic Sky Pier on Everton Brow  – have led to £900,000 of European funding being lost, forcing the scheme to be put on hold.

Today the city council insisted it was still committed to the Sky Pier and is now seeking alternative ways of paying for what is billed as a tourism-generating landmark.

Work should already have started on the Sky Pier, with its promises of stunning views over the river and the Welsh mountains. The project was also geared to the creation of jobs for local people in an unemployment blackspot, via an information centre, event and gallery space as well as a café.

But it hasn't begun and one of the provisos of the injection of euros from Brussels, under the European Regional Development Fund, was a completion date of this autumn.

The observatory, designed by architects Broadway Malyan, was originally costed at £1.4m but this has risen to around £2m, with the council agreeing it would underwrite £1.15m of the budget.

It says it has looked at ways of modifying the Sky Park in a bid to bring down the costs.

Mark Kitts, the city council’s assistant director for regeneration, said the council has looked at a number of options to modify the Sky Pier to bring it back within that budget but they haven't been presented a viable or sustainable solution.

Cllr Malcolm Kennedy, cabinet member for regeneration, said: “We are still absolutely committed to the Sky Pier project. We are working hard with partners to identify ways of attracting the level of investment that is needed. If we are able to do that then the scheme is ready to move forward very quickly.

“We are also pushing ahead with other exciting projects to improve the park, including walking trails and other initiatives designed to make it a popular community green hub which benefits local residents. 

"There is already a new heritage trail, a portrait bench highlighting the rich social history of the space, and the historic lock up, which features prominently on Everton Football Club’s crest, is permanently lit up. I think the future for Everton Park is really exciting and we are determined to put it on a par with some of the best parks in the world.”

It is likely to be some months before real progress can be made on the construction of the Sky Park, but it is likely to raise questions about how the city allowed £900,000 of European money was allowed to slip from its grasp.