The delayed opening of a high-tech fire control centre in Merton will cause misery for jobhunters – and one union has warned the “hugely over-budget” project could become a white elephant.

The multi-million pound building on the Merton Industrial Estate in Jubilee Way is likely to stand empty because of problems with its IT system – meaning it will not be ready until after the 2012 Olympics.

It is one of nine new regional control centres – and the only one in London – designed to handle the fire service’s response to emergencies and disasters including floods and terrorist attacks.

The building designed to house the centre was due to open in September next year, potentially bringing hundreds of jobs to the area.

But a series of delays in the development of the software needed to run it means it will be years until it opens.

A Fire Brigades Union spokes-man said this year’s election had cast doubt over the future of the “hugely overbudget” project.

He said: “No one knows if the Tories are going to pull the funding if they get in.”

He said fire service bosses were now considering moving staff and equipment from London’s current fire control centre in Docklands into the empty building, even though it was designed to run with a new communication system.

A London Fire Brigade spokesman said the Government had not given a firm date for the centre now to open.

He added the brigade was in talks with the Government about housing other fire service departments in the building alongside the control centre.

The delay is a blow for jobhunters who could have found work at the new facility, according to the leader of Merton Council David Williams.

Councillor Williams said: “The disappointment from a Merton perspective is the centre appears to be close to physical completion, but the opportunity to generate some local employment opportunities has been lost for the foreseeable future.”

He said a 2007 Government press release about the centre reported “the need for world class systems to be in place for the 2012 Olympics”.

This, he said, contradicted a Government claim this month the building was not needed for the Games.

The new centres were designed to replace Britain’s 46 existing fire control rooms, with the project expected to cost about £1bn – although its IT system is thought to have over-run by about £200m.