Lichfield District Council spent more than £56,000 on planning a new coach park for the failed Friarsgate project, it has been revealed.
The local authority eventually confirmed the overall bill for the aborted redevelopment scheme after holding previous discussions behind closed doors.
But a report to the meeting of the local authority’s audit and member standards committee revealed some of the detail around where the money had been spent – including £56,709 planning where tourist buses visiting the city would go.
The work had been carried out ahead of the proposed closure of the bus station, with the council hoping to move coach parking provision to land at Staffordshire University’s city campus.
Lichfield District Council confirmed the money had been spent on a valuation of the site, design fees, ground investigations and a review of how the scheme would impact on local roads.
Other figures in the report show that £349,617 was spent on “support” for the Friarsgate scheme, while £16,111 went on preparatory work for the enhancements to Castle Dyke and Frog Lane.
Both figures were under the approved budget after work on Friarsgate failed to begin.
The spending on the doomed redevelopment project has been criticised by councillors, with Burntwood Town Council Labour member Rob Birch suggesting Lichfield District Council leader Mike Wilcox should justify the spending to local families who are struggling to make ends meet.
