Work on the £5.6m regeneration of Brooke Park in Derry has stalled after the preferred bidder pulled out, it has emerged.

Contractors were due be on site by the end of this year, but work can now not begin until the New Year after the preferred bidder pulled out.

Derry City Council announced the transformation of the park last June, with a completion date of Autumn/Winter 2015.

By March of this year the expected finish date had been pushed back to Spring/Summer 2016.

However, Derry City Council has said they hope that the completion date can still be met by reducing the construction period from 18 to 15 months.

Bidders now have until the end of November to make their submissions, with the preferred bidder to be announced in December.

A spokesperson for Derry City Council confirmed it has had to re-tender the contarct for the re-generation.

“Subject to the tender outcome and necessary approvals being secured, council aims to appoint a contractor by December 2014,” a spokesperson said.

“The construction period has been reduced from 18 to 15 months with the project completing by late Spring/early Summer 2016.”

The multi-million pound regeneration will see the creation of a new state of the art play garden and the restoration of historic features such as the Robert Ferguson statue.

It will also see the gate lodge made open to the public and the restoration of the oval pond.

A family friendly are is to be created at Gwyn’s Pavilion and the park’s sports facilities will also benefit with the provision of a modern two story Contact Sports Centre, and seven aside MUGA.

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