ASBESTOS found at the site of the flagship £22m community centre has delayed its opening by 10 weeks - costing an extra £387,200.

The Curve cultural and learning centre - the heart of the council’s regeneration plans - was due to open in Wellington Street in September next year.

However, it has been put back until December after works were delayed when asbestos pipework lagging was uncovered at the site of the old day care centre.

A council spokeswoman said: “It’s very usual to find asbestos on site when doing building work, especially when there has been a demolition of a previous building of an age like the old day centre.

“Unfortunately with any find like this, it took up time and there was a cost for removing it.” It was found in January and specialist contractors have since been in to clear it. The opening has been put back from September 2015, to December.

Documents due to be presented at Thursday’s overview and scrutiny meeting reveal the cost of the delay is £352,200. The works cost an extra £35,000.

The council considered legal action against contractors employed to demolish the old day centre, in 2009, and queried if the pipe should have been removed under their demolition contract.

But the report reveals it was considered there was no case to bring.

Another set of works to do with a SSE substation will cost an extra £59,564 - meaning the fledging build is already facing extra bills of £446,764.