Cash-strapped Tower Hamlets splashes out £3m on award-winning architects for civic centre

Expensive redevelopment: The facade of the Old Royal London Hospital, which will be retained in the major revamp
Graham Hussey
Sebastian Mann18 May 2016

A cash-strapped east London council is forking out nearly £3 million in fees on an award-winning architecture firm for a new civic centre, new figures reveal.

Tower Hamlets, faced with making £59m in savings over the next four years, has contracted internationally-renowned Allford Hall Monaghan Morris to undertake design and consultancy work for the ambitious project.

Their role also includes the refurbishment of council buildings at John Onslow House and will see them carry out a range of design services.

Critics questioned whether the spend was a good use of public money.

Councillors approved the redevelopment of the grade II-listed Old Royal London Hospital site in November last year.

After completion in the early 2020s, the borough will have a new town hall in Whitechapel at a total forecast cost of £77m.

The council claims the major project will breathe new life in the area and says architects AHMM, whose other buildings include the high-profile new Scotland Yard headquarters and a revamp of White City’s Television Centre, put forward the best bid for the complex scheme.

But TaxPayers Alliance chief executive Jonathan Isaby said: "Taxpayers will be amazed that their new civic centre is costing such a huge amount to design.

"Councils across the country are having to scrutinise their budgets at every turn, and it has to be asked whether Tower Hamlets council could have got a better deal.

"The council should demonstrate that they got the best possible value for money to the local taxpayers who ultimately foot the bill."

Tower Hamlets’ Labour Mayor John Biggs said: “The new civic centre will enable the transformation of the council's services to residents.

“This investment in our future will deliver revenue savings year on year, and will put the council in the heart of the community.

“The new civic centre is part of our Whitechapel Vision regeneration project which will see 3500 new homes, 5000 jobs and new public spaces brought to the area.”

AHMM has won a range of awards for its design work, including the prestigious Stirling Prize in 2015 for Burntwood School in Wandsworth.

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