Braddan Commissioners are facing the prospect of paying millions of pounds more than first estimated to build a community centre adjacent to Noble’s Hospital.

Three bids of around £7 million have been submitted by contractors willing to construct the complex, which includes a new local authority office and a hall for sports and public events.

The tender result comes despite efforts by commissioners to reduce the cost of the Strang Corner Field project, which was initially around £4 million.

Plans for the site, which is next to the Palatine Health Centre, include provision for childcare, a pharmacy, gym, dental practice and other facilities.

The authority bought the land from government almost two decades ago, with a view to providing a community centre in the parish.

Commissioners will consider the three tenders today (Thursday) at a meeting held via Skype.

Authority chairman Andrew Jessopp admits the £7 million figure is high and says the parish commissioners need to decide whether the investment will be value for money.

He told local democracy reporter Ewan Gawne: ’We did go back to the drawing board to remove a few things. We even shortened the building by a few metres as well to try to reduce costs.’

He suggested that the tender figures reflected the current state of the construction industry.

’It hasn’t come as a big surprise,’ he said. ’It’s obviously a little bit more than we would have liked.

’This potentially provides more than a local facility. It would serve the wider island community.

’It is right on the doorstep of Noble’s Hospital, which is one of the biggest employers in the island.’

He said it might offer services to staff there and could even attract people to work at the hospital.

The authority did consider putting the tenders on hold for six months but, because companies had started putting their tenders together, it decided to carry on with the process.

However, that would now be in the ’melting pot’ when commissioners discuss the issue with the project team and the Treasury.