The future of Thomas Heatherwick's Garden Bridge has been thrown into question again, after it emerged that costs could rise well above the estimated £185 million, and that the charity behind the project is at threat of liquidation.
The proposed bridge across London's River Thames has faced numerous obstacles over the past two years, but its stated price tag has only ever increased by £10 million.
But Garden Bridge Trust chairman Mervyn Davies has now admitted that the final cost could be far higher ? placing the entire project in jeopardy.
In accounts filed at Companies House, Davies said: "The last external estimate of the total project cost of the Garden Bridge was £185 million but, due to the hurdles still to be cleared and the ensuing delays, the final cost could substantially exceed the formal estimate." The Garden Bridge still project faces several challenges, which include securing rights to land on both sides of the river
The accounts also reveal that the Garden Bridge Trust is no longer a "going concern", meaning its finances are subject to collapse.
The charity will only survive if it overcomes several issues, which include securing rights to land on both sides of the river, and getting final sign off from London mayor Sadiq Khan ? who is more sceptical of the project than previous mayor Boris Johnson.
"It is hoped that these [risks] will be resolved over the months ahead, but since a number of these matters are outside ...