The search for a new design team for the Palace of Westminster’s restoration and renewal will begin in April 2026. With running repairs costing £2 million a week, just to keep the building functioning, it’s good to see that action is being taken, albeit slowly.
The Palace of Westminster’s Restoration and Renewal Delivery Authority has voluntarily published a pipeline notice to announce that the hunt for three strategic partners will begin early next year. As well as design services, the authority will be looking for integration and construction partners.
Initially the site of a church, then an abbey, and then the principal royal residence, Westminster has a rich history. Parliament first met there in the 13th century.
Calls for an entirely new parliament building have gone unheeded since as far back as the 18th century, when concerns about the available space and ageing buildings first began. More buildings of differing quality and style were added, with several remodelling projects along the way, until a major fire in 1834 destroyed most of the buildings.
Architect Charles Barry designed the Gothic structure we know today, and the complex has been home to the House of Lords and the House of Commons since the mid-19th century. The Palace of Westminster was designated a Grade I listed building in 1970 and a World Heritage Site in 1987.
Arguably, the buildings are not fit for purpose, especially given that the main chamber cannot seat all 650 members of parliament, with only 427 seats. And yet, no government has been able to stomach the idea of relocating to a more suitable site. This is understandable, given the history, but it is not especially sensible.
It will be interesting to see how quickly these strategic partners are appointed. In a report written more than two years ago, the Public Accounts Committee stated that it was “incredible” that five years after a course of action for restoration was determined, questions about how the work would be undertaken remained unanswered.
It doesn’t feel like we are much further ahead today. In the same report, the committee wrote that there is a “real and rising risk” that the Palace of Westminster would be destroyed by a catastrophic event before it is restored. They are not being dramatic, as elements such as heating, ventilation, water, drainage and electrical systems haven’t undergone any major updates, and there is a growing list of health and safety incidents.
After decades of inaction, let’s hope that this announcement is the start of a real commitment to the restoration and renewal of these iconic buildings. However, I feel that further procrastination may be inevitable.
Meanwhile, if you need any assistance with the structural elements of an upcoming project, please do get in touch.
