HC Deb 30 July 1998 vol 317 cc419-20W
Ms Buck

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions where the Greater London Authority will be located; and if he will make a statement. [54811]

Mr. Raynsford

We have now drawn up a list of eight possible locations for London's new Mayor and Assembly. This has been selected from information on over 50 buildings, new developments and sites sent to Knight Frank, our agents.

They are:

  • Camelford House, SE11 (refurbishment of a Thamesside building)
  • Canary Wharf, E14 (site WF-9—overlooking the Thames and the City)
  • Dean Ryle Street Building, SW1 (refurbishment—formerly part of Westminster Hospital)
  • London Bridge City, SE1 (a site between Tower Bridge and London Bridge on the Thames)
  • Regent's Place, Euston Road, NW1 (new development close to Regents Park)
  • St. George's Court, New Oxford Street, WC1 (refurbishment of a former Ministry of Defence building)
  • Vauxhall Cross, SE11 (the Effra site by Vauxhall Bridge)
  • Victoria House, Bloomsbury Square, WC1 (refurbishment).

The next step will be to provide the owners, managers and developers of these buildings and sites with details of the GLA's likely requirements and to invite them to submit details on how they can fulfil these, how quickly and at what cost. Some of the eight options are also being considered for other uses and may fall out. Some will need planning and other approvals and these will need to be considered by the appropriate authorities. If other possible locations come forward in the next few weeks, these too will be considered.

I anticipate that there will be strong competition to provide the high quality building which the Mayor and Assembly deserve. I hope to announce the final decision around the end of the year.

Mr. Simon Hughes

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions on what date he plans the elections for the Greater London Authority to take place. [53586]

Mr. Raynsford

As stated in paragraph 1.28 of the White Paper "A Mayor and Assembly for London" (Cm 3897), elections for the Mayor and the Assembly could be held in the autumn of 1999 or in Spring 2000. We hope to announce our preferred date in the autumn.