Wembley builder says new setback won't delay opening

Australian builder Multiplex said today the completion date of Wembley stadium would not be affected after the site suffered problems with its drain and sewer system, the latest in a string of setbacks.

Multiplex played down the problems saying 'snag' (contingency) time periods were routinely built in to such projects to avoid wider delays.

"We do not believe that the drain and sewage system remedial repairs will have any impact on the completion of the stadium." the company said in a statement.

The drainage systems are being put in for Multiplex by a local contract firm. The company could not immediately be reached for comment.

The delays come after a 50 tonne steel roof rafter slipped on Monday, with a loud bang across the development and over 3000 workers having to be evacuated from the site.

The £750 million ($2.2 billion) redevelopment of the stadium in northwest London has been dogged with problems. Costs of the project have soared and last year Multiplex was forced to issue six profit warnings as debts from the project spiralled.

The English Football Association (FA) suffered major embarrassment after it was forced to transfer May's showpiece FA Cup soccer final to Cardiff's Millennium Stadium after conceding Wembley would not be ready on time.

The FA has been left helpless as problems have mounted, although the English soccer governing body's contract with Multiplex has left the Australian firm to foot the bill.

"We will continue to work with Multiplex to get Wembley completed as soon as possible," the FA said in a statement on Thursday.

The original Wembley, probably the most famous soccer stadium in the world, was demolished in 2000 with the decision to tear down the stadiums emblematic twin towers highly criticised at the time.

- REUTERS