The overall budget for redeveloping a town centre department store has doubled from £6m to £12m.
There has been anger after the budget for a department store renovation doubled to £12m due to rising costs and the discovery of hundreds of skeletons.Pembrokeshire council deputy leader Paul Miller said digging up the skeletons accounted for £1.5m-£2m.The remains were unearthed by archaeologists working on the remnants of a medieval priory found beneath the old Ocky White building.
"If you asked me would I spend £1.5m-£2m on archaeological work in Haverfordwest town centre, the answer would be no," he said. Margaret Andrews added: "I think the general opinion of the people of Haverfordwest is that the money could have been spent developing Bridge Street, with various numbers of small shops which would have been more in character with the town."
The overspend came to light after opposition councillor Andrew Edwards asked for an update during a meeting in March.He described the £12m budget as "astonishing".