The cost of constructing a new Liverpool landing stage has spiralled to more than £30m.

Tynwald approved spending of up to £3.5m in July 2016 to purchase a site for the new ferry terminal at Princes Half-Tide Dock.

This is about a third of a mile down river from the current Pier Head site, which has been earmarked by Liverpool City Council as a new cruise liner terminal.

But the Princes Half-Tide Dock site has yet to be purchased.

And the capital programme outlined in last week’s Budget reveals that the cost of designing and building the new facility is now estimated at £30,492,000.

A sum of £7,752,000, described as a ’limited increase to the expected overall total cost’, is listed for 2018-19. Design fees include marine site investigations and environmental impact assessments, notes the Budget Pink Book.

Treasury Minister Alfred Cannan confirmed that £3.5m has been approved for land purchase in Liverpool by Tynwald but that money has yet to be formally requested by the Department of Infrastructure.

He said: ’I understand that contracts have still to be exchanged but our capital programme contains provision for the design and build of the new facilities.’

According to a 2016 DoI report to Tynwald on the Liverpool landing stage, Pier Head owners Peel Group had indicated a cost in April 2015 of £18m for developing and constructing a new landing stage at Princes Half-Tide Dock.

The same report said that if the DoI was to design and construct the facility the estimated total cost would be in the region of £25m. It ruled out the option of the development being entirely funded and delivered by the Steam Packet and instead recommended seeking an open tender for a design and build contract.

A government spokesman said: ’Now the budget has been approved the next steps are to tender for a contractor to deliver on our plans for a ferry terminal in Liverpool.

’The original bid was put in five years ago and it is not unexpected that costs and proposals should change over time. For example, a new passenger access scheme is now included that was not in the original plans.'

Meanwhile, Peel Holdings has had to go back to the drawing board over its £5.5bn Liverpool Waters development, which includes Princes Half-Tide Dock.

Following a threat to the city’s UNESCO world heritage status, a skyline policy for tall buildings is being suggested.

The Manx government spokesman said: ’The terminal will be subject to planning permission but there are no high rise flats included as part of the proposal.’