A former Lancashire MP has said he remains sceptical about the future of the long-awaited Eden Project attraction in Morecambe.
David Morris represented Morecambe and Lunesdale for the Conservative party until he lost his seat in the 2024 general election, but had worked to bring the "eco-attraction" to the town.
Described as a "global garden", the Lancashire venue will feature three large shell-shaped pavilions overlooking Morecambe Bay, with construction set to begin in 2028.
The project is due to cost £100m, with £50m of that allocated by the government, but Mr Morris said: "Eden say they're going to start building in 2026 but there's no sign of their £50m they've got to put towards it."
However, John Pye, the project director, said he "can be very certain" the project is going ahead.
It is being delivered by the sister-site Eden Project team in Cornwall, in partnership with Lancaster City Council, Lancashire County Council and Lancaster University and has faced several delays due to funding.
The project has so far received £7.5m of the £50m from the government and has started a recruitment process for jobs including a fundraising manager and a senior project manager.
But Mr Morris said he remained sceptical.
"Back in 2023, I was asked to get two-and-a-half million to get the bulldozers in and I was assured that was going to happen in September, which was a year ago now - nothing's happened," he said.
He said he was also concerned about the size of the project reducing.
"If you look at the original development that I put together, it was a series of biodomes and it was a large project," he said.
"You look at what we've got now, it’s one biodome and in effect a restaurant and a gift shop.
"I want to be proved wrong. I really want to see this built because you know I’ve invested a lot of my life in it and I want it more for the future of the young ones in Morecambe."
John O’Neill, manager for Morecambe BID, said plans to recruit jobs for the project were a "hugely significant milestone".
"Eden Project Morecambe is no longer just a vision for the future - it's becoming a reality," he said.
"These vacancies represent the first of many opportunities for people to be directly involved in shaping a project that will transform our town and inspire generations to come.
"We are making really brilliant strides in recruitment, in developing the designs, in re-submitting planning applications. So lots of positive steps."