A damning report into the Marble Arch Mound has found a slew of management failures and a deliberate attempt by managers to hide the project’s rising costs from Westminster City Council members.
The internal review, published late yesterday, said the council’s normal checks and measures to ensure the project ran smoothly were “circumvented” in an attempt to deliver the Mound on time and hide the actual costs of the project.
The Mound, intended to bring visitors back to the West End, was originally forecast to cost around £2.5m. But rising project costs meant that soon soared to £6m.
That was coupled with a disastrous launch this summer which led Westminster to scrap its paid entry system.
On top of that was £290,000 in lost sponsorship following intense negative publicity, including the scheme being dubbed “London’s worst tourist attraction”.
Westminster’s report added that there was a breakdown of project management of the Mound which led to “confusion over roles and responsibilities… and a basic lack of project co-ordination and documentation”.
Westminster City Council chief executive Stuart Love called the report’s findings “unacceptable,” and said the council was taking action to address them.
He added: “A series of errors in judgement, coupled with a lack of sufficient oversight, led to a failure of project management on the Mound. We did not meet our own high standards on this project and for that I apologise again.”
However, despite the Mound coming in over budget and opening while incomplete, it has still attracted 140,000 visitors since it opened.
That means the project is on target for the projected 280,000 visitors hoped for in the six months after opening, and has succeeded in its initial goal of boosting footfall to the area.
It was originally billed as the centrepiece of a new £150m strategy designed to turn around the Oxford Street district, published by the council earlier this year.
The plan also involves widening pavements and decreasing traffic flow, as well as establishing a pair of pedestrian plazas at Oxford Circus junction. That plan was originally scheduled for this year, but has now been pushed back until at least 2022.
Love said: “The report is equally clear that the issues identified are restricted to the Marble Arch Mound. Westminster City Council manages projects worth hundreds of millions of pounds a year to a high standard and within budget, and they are unaffected by issues surrounding the Mound.
“The council must learn the lessons of the Mound project. We will continue our efforts to revive Westminster’s economy post-pandemic and to ensure our residents continue to receive first-class services.”
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