Millennium chief in row over designs

The future of the millennium project, at present under review by the Government, is being jeopardised by a row between the organisers and the main designers.

Imagination, the company brought in to produce designs for the exhibits, rides and shows under the dome on the exhibition site in Greenwich, south- east London, has been "suspended" by Jenny Page, the chief executive of Millennium Central, the exhibition organisers, according to senior Labour sources.

Ms Page is now talking to other designers about taking on the project, though this is seen as very much a last resort.

Millennium Central, which is getting up to pounds 400m of lottery funds to pay for the exhibition and other millennium celebrations, has become increasingly concerned about Imagination's failure to remain within budget.

In a joint statement last night, Millennium Central and Imagination said that Imagination had asked to "stand back" from the project at the end of the three month consultancy in March.

"The exact nature and extent of Imagination's future invovement will be determined by Imagination in response to specific briefs issued by MCL. Imagination has advised MCL that it would be pleased to respond to any further briefs."

Paul MacKay, Imagination's project director, emphasised that its contract had only been short term.

However, The Independent has learnt that there have been a series of disagreements between Imagination and Millennium Central over the work. One source close to the negotiations between the two organisations said: "There have been a number of times when views have, to put it mildly, been very firmly stated. It's a bugger's muddle."

One fundamental problem for the designers is that Millennium Central has not yet sorted out the extent to which sponsors will have a say in the design. While their demands cannot be ignored - since it is hoped they will contribute pounds 195m towards the pounds 650m cost - the organisers are concerned that the exhibition does not just end up looking like a sponsors' jamboree.

There was further confusion yesterday over the site of the project. Chris Smith, Secretary of State for National Heritage, did not deny the possibility of a switch of venue from Greenwich to Birmingham, as reported in yesterday's Independent. But he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that the Government "is reviewing the position over the millennium exhibition. Any sensible government would want to do that."

Asked if the Greenwich site presented insurmountable problems, Mr Smith said: "I don't know the answer to that question yet, I'll only know it once we've had a careful look at the figures in the business plan and the proposals ... in a month's time we will come forward with a conclusion."

However, another senior Labour source insisted that Birmingham was unlikely to be chosen.

He said: "Birmingham's idea was to put the show in a few warehouses added to the National Exhibition Centre. That is not a venue of sufficient stature. I think it is more likely that the whole thing would be scrapped and a series of regional events would be held."