A plan to provide vehicle access to the Dunedin Botanic Garden car park from Castle St has been ditched, after tender prices came in 74% over budget.
Design and resource consent costs of $42,000 have already been spent on the project.
The footbridge that spans the Water of Leith to the car park was to have been replaced by the Dunedin City Council during the past summer with a two-lane vehicular access.
Botanic Garden team leader Alan Matchett said in November the work was necessary to provide a safer entrance to the car park, and to replace a bridge that had come to the end of its natural life.
But the council community development committee was told yesterday tenders for the work ranged between $400,000 and $600,000 for a job with a budget of $230,000.
A report approved by community and recreation services manager Mick Reece said earlier concerns about access to the car park ‘‘have not proved to be of any significance since, and the inter section has performed wel with new signage''.
Asked about the change in thinking on the issue, Mr Reece said ‘‘once you start to stack these things up'', other projects, such as foul sewer and stormwater renewals and a new mains water supply for the garden kiosk, became a better option for the money.
Upgrading the pedestrian bridge, built by the counci works department in 1933-34 would cost $60,000.
Heritage aspects of the bridge would be preserved, Mr Reece said.
