A recent article from the RICS, considers the potential funding required to bring the houses of parliament back to their natural beauty. Perhaps more innovative solutions are required for the funding rather than expect the tax payer to foot the bill? Perhaps renaming the houses of parliament for sponsorship, like some of our football stadiums is a stretch too far, but I do believe there needs to be a radical rethink on funding. Without a doubt we cannot lose one of our natural treasures, but again under investment in maintenance of properties will always catch up.....eventually.
At a time when our public services are desperately underfunded, the idea of spending between £4bn and £7bn on the Houses of Parliament does not sit well. To put it in context, that’s about the equivalent of the annual cost of running the whole of the Welsh NHS. But despite the high costs, renovation and restoration are the only options on the table. Relocation hasn’t even been considered.
