Scaffold accident has led to year’s delay in Hammersmith town hall project

By Ben Lynch, Local Democracy Reporter

The redevelopment of Hammersmith’s town hall and construction of new homes has been pushed back by ‘about a year’ after a construction accident which seriously injured two builders, it has been revealed.

The Hammersmith Civic Campus scheme has also been affected by Brexit, but the 2022 accident sparked an investigation which has hampered progress at the site.

The leader of the council, Stephen Cowan, told a Hammersmith and Fulham cabinet meeting that the incident had been a ‘problem’ for the project, which will feature a refurbished Hammersmith town hall alongside new homes, workspace and other amenities, and was granted approval in 2019.

The council is working with the site’s contractor, Ardmore, to confirm a revised programme for completion.

The 2022 incident occurred after scaffolding on the town hall collapsed. A Health and Safety Executive (HSE) investigation is ongoing, with a report expected later this year.

At the meeting, Cllr Cowan clarified the project had ‘lost about a year’ as a result of the accident. He added it had also been impacted by factors such as Brexit, which had increased charges and led to a ‘depleted’ labour force.

“If you look at any development anywhere these types of things happen sometimes, and we should not take our eye off the final goal,” he said.

“You will have a completely unusual type of town hall. It won’t be for politicians and officials, it will be for residents, which is why you will see people going to concerts there, you will see people going to the roof restaurants.”

Once complete, the Civic Campus will deliver 204 new homes, of which 52 per cent will be affordable. A cinema is among the offerings, as are new public squares.

A council spokesman said: “We are actively working with our Civic Campus contractor Ardmore to confirm a revised timeline for completion of the development as we seek to breathe new life into the heart of Hammersmith.”

Ardmore has also been approached for comment.

Pictured top: A mock-up of the plans for the new civic campus in Hammersmith (Picture: RSHP)