London Eye secures permanent status on the South Bank

The London Eye observation wheel has secured its long-term future after Lambeth Council confirmed that it could remain on the South Bank. The council’s planning committee voted unanimously to support a recommendation from officers to discharge a condition attached to the 2003 planning permission that required the council to decide whether the attraction could be retained beyond 2028. The decision followed the submission of a report for Merlin Entertainments, the owner and operator of the London Eye, co-ordinated by Lichfields which assessed the continued acceptability of the attraction in this location. The assessment included “further environmental information” assessing a range of topic areas, with assessments on planning, heritage, townscape and socio-economic impacts. Lichfields identified the wide-ranging benefits of the London Eye, including £143m GVA per annum within London and more than 200 direct jobs, as well as the benefits that elevated views of heritage assets such as the adjacent Grade II listed County Hall and the Palace of Westminster World Heritage Site has to users of the London Eye. The council agreed with the conclusions of the report and noted that the benefits of the London Eye weighed significantly in its decision. The committee has confirmed that the London Eye can remain in place, with current arrangements continuing beyond 2028. This includes a requirement for 1% of the attraction’s annual turnover to go towards the maintenance and management of the public area surrounding the site. These monies are invested in partnership with South Bank Employers’ Group and South Bank Business Improvement District. Temporary planning permission was granted for the London Eye in 1999, following which a separate planning permission and listed building consent was granted for its retention in 2003. Scott O’Neil, chief executive at Merlin Entertainments, said: “[This is] a landmark decision for a landmark attraction. It is impossible to imagine the London skyline without the iconic structure of the London Eye, and with its long-term future secure, we will continue to invest and expand Merlin’s presence in this great city, which is one of our key gateway clusters. “We will work closely with key partners locally, including the re-elected mayor, Sadiq Khan, to further boost London’s attractiveness to both international and domestic visitors, offering them experiences that bring joy and everlasting memories.” Photos © Merlin Entertainments