THE rocketing cost of a project to raise the prom at Avon Beach means another £224,000 is needed, a report has revealed.

The true cost of the project - originally believed to be around £120,000 - will be £540,000.

Members of Christchurch council's resources committee will be asked to approve the extra funds at their meeting on December 6.

Christchurch Borough Council's project to raise a 250m section of the walkway at Avon Beach in Mudeford by 90cm and widen the path by 1.5m was unanimously approved by the planning committee last month.

The council hopes the measures will reduce the risk of coastal erosion and flooding of the promenade.

Plans also include erecting a new concrete wall behind the beach huts.

The report to the resources committee says "the most economically advantageous tender submitted is significantly higher than the funding available, so additional funding is required if the project is to proceed."

The original estimate was produced in October 2016, it adds, but since then the design of the scheme means the cost has risen.

Funding of £80,000 has already been secured from the Coastal Communities Fund, but they no further money is available, they have said.

The report adds: "Whilst an application for funding from the next round could be submitted, this wouldn’t be allocated for about another year and they believe it to be highly unlikely that additional funding would be secured for a project that has already received grant aid."

The existing promenade was built specifically as a coastal defence during the 1940s, but has had beach huts in place since the 1950s, set up for summer hire by the Avon Beach Company.

The money would come from the council's unallocated revenue reserves.

Work was due to start on the project in October, but has been pushed back until January, pending the funding issue being resolved.

The deadline for the work is Easter 2018.