NATIONAL Trust bosses told Moyle Council on Monday night they hope to have the new visitors' centre at the Giant's Causeway open for business by the autumn of 2011 but it is going to cost more that first thought.
The estimated price has already grown to £19.5 million, up from £18 million, before a brick has even been laid.
A planning decision is expected this December with funding expected to fall in to place before the end of next summer and enabling work
on the project can then start next September ahead of the start of the main contract in December 2009.
Graham Thompson, the Trust's Giant's Causeway Project Director, said the cash rise was because they had not expected to have to cover some of the costs previously expended by the government.
And he said the price was also added to by consciously moving away from the previous approach which had just been about a new building.
The new scheme is more about integrating the building with the Causeway itself, added Mr Thompson.
Some of the costs are as follows: around £7 million on the actual building itself; over £3 million on external work; £2.5 million in fees; £1 million for the exhibition fit-out and around £1 million has been worked in for inflation.
The National Trust's costs are around half a million and it will also cost a similar figure for a decanting operation during the work. Other figures for other parts of the scheme were also listed for councillors.
It was stressed to Moyle councillors that whilst the work is taking place access to the Causeway will still be permitted.
Meanwhile, Trust officials said they are prepared for possible challenges in the planning process.
In another development, DUP councillor Robert McIlroy said there are concerns in Bushmills that cars could take up parking spaces in the town for over six hours whilst people are whisked off to the Causeway by a 'park and ride' scheme based at Dundarave.
Hilary McGrady, the National Trust's Northern Ireland Director, said they want to work closely with local people but said the normal time spent at the Causeway by visitors is around two hours.
She said the park and ride scheme was welcomed in many cases by people who realised the scheme would actually bring more people into Bushmills.
Ms McGrady said there was a rumour that they wanted to take over the football pitch at Dundarave for parking space but she said was absolutely not the case.
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