‘Government remains committed to building Holocaust memorial near parliament’

The Conservative government has doubled down on its commitment to build a new £100 million Holocaust memorial beside the Houses of Parliament despite a legal challenge and pending recession.

In response to enquiries, a spokeswoman for the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government said: “The government remains committed to the construction of the Holocaust Memorial and Education Centre beside our national parliament.”

In February of this year Communities Secretary Robert Jenrick MP said the government “remains implacably committed” to the memorial’s construction in Victoria Tower Gardens, despite environmental and social concerns.

The site was chosen by then Prime Minster David Cameron in January 2016 and a design competition settled on the winning entry almost two years later. The government said it would contribute £50 million, later increasing this to £75 million.

However, a planning application submitted in December 2018 met opposition at Westminster City Council, which led to the Ministry “calling in” the planning application. There will now be a public inquiry chaired by a planning inspector.

Last month lawyers acting for London Historic Parks and Gardens Trust formally challenged the government over what it sees as the procedural side-step of the project’s environmental impact assessment in its decision-making.