The restoration of the Palace of Westminster, the home of the UK Parliament, could cost taxpayers £3bn, says the man in charge of its restoration.
Dr Richard Ware told the BBC’s Newsnight programme that the repairs to the crumbling edifice would top £2bn, but insiders advised that it would probably cost £1bn more.
While much of the palace was built in the 1830s, and parts repaired after bomb and fire damage in the 1940s, some elements, including Westminster Hall, date back nearly a thousand years.
Dr Ware’s report, published in 2012, said that if the building were not listed and of the highest heritage value “its owners would probably be advised to demolish and rebuild”.
Times, 24
