Underpinning methods could be needed at Houses of Parliament
A Sunday Times report has hinted that a range of underpinning methods may be needed in order to save one of Britain’s most iconic buildings in the years to come.
Last week, we reported plans to refurbish Battersea Power Station, and noted the risks posed to the structure if a Tube line and station were to be added to the site.
Now it seems another landmark of the River Thames is suffering from vibration due to Underground trains – this time, it’s the Houses of Parliament that are under threat.
Since the Sunday Times broke the story of concerns raised by the House of Commons Commission, several other news providers have picked up on it, quoting repair bills of anywhere up to £3 billion in order to protect the seat of British government for generations to come.
And some of the largest-scale underpinning methods ever employed could be needed to prevent London from getting a ‘leaning tower’ to rival that of Pisa, as Big Ben has apparently moved several inches away from the vertical over the years.
But with proposals to move MPs to a different location for up to five years from 2015, many are already opposing the work – and it will be interesting to see what measures are taken to restore structural stability to Westminster in the years to come.