Doubts cast over Greater London Authority’s move to new building before Christmas

By Joe Talora, local democracy reporter

Doubts have been cast over whether the Greater London Authority will be able to move into The Crystal building before Christmas after pictures showed the extent of work still to be done.

Sadiq Khan last year announced plans to end the lease of City Hall and move the GLA to The Crystal, an exhibition centre in the Royal Docks, to save around £55 million over five years.

But with members of the London Assembly and other GLA staff just weeks away from having to leave City Hall, there are renewed fears that they will be left “homeless” as the state of The Crystal was revealed.

Assembly Members were invited to tour their new home this week ahead of the move before Christmas but said they were greeted by a “building site”.

The chamber – where the Mayor of London is scrutinised during Mayor’s Question Time – remains under construction, as do the committee rooms and visitor areas.

Staff at City Hall are expected to leave by November 26 and work is already underway to convert it back to a general use building, with security gates leading to party offices having been removed.

Following the visit to The Crystal this week, GLA Conservatives leader Susan Hall described it as “not a good place to be” and said it was “hard to see” how it would be ready to move into by the end of the year.

Ms Hall said: “In a few short weeks, the London Assembly and the Mayor will be homeless.

“The Mayor’s bizarre decision to ship London’s regional government up the Thames is proving to be more ridiculous by the day.

“The longer the Crystal is delayed, the more it will cost the taxpayer and the greater disruption to City Hall’s work it will cause.

“We won’t let the Mayor escape scrutiny, but his decision to move buildings is no doubt going to impact the Greater London Authority’s ability to deliver on Londoners’ priorities.”

Last month GLA staff were told the building would be ready by “mid December” and that has now been moved to “before Christmas” but the extent of work that apparently still needs to be dome has cast doubts among GLA staff over whether that deadline will be met.

Liberal Democrat Assembly Member Caroline Pidgeon said that it is “now time for true openness” from Sadiq Khan about when the GLA’s new home will be ready, as well as “the real costs resulting from his decision”.

Critics said last month moving costs had already soar by 70 per cent to £13.6 million.

While work on the interior of the building still needs to be completed, sources say that the road layout near the building also needs to be altered for security reasons.

It is understood that several temporary locations for a Mayors Question Time on December 16 and committee meetings are being considered in the meantime, including London Fire Brigade headquarters and the Barbican.

Despite this, Sadiq Khan remains confident that the GLA is “on track” to move into The Crystal by the end of the year.