§ Mr. FitzpatrickTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he has decided which of the seven locations currently being considered will provide accommodation for the Greater London Authority; and if he will make a statement. [56048]
§ Mr. RaynsfordFollowing a detailed assessment of the initial proposals for our seven short-listed buildings and sites we have selected two first-class options to study further. These are
1107WLondon Bridge City, SE1—a new building to be constructed on the site between Tower Bridge and London Bridge on the South Bank of the River Thames; andVictoria House in Bloomsbury Square, WC1—a major refurbishment of an existing building first constructed in the 1920s.There was keen competition among all the short-listed teams to produce high quality ideas for housing the Mayor and Assembly in London. The architects associated with the two chosen projects—Will Alsop of Alsop and Stormer for Victoria House and Sir Norman Foster of Foster Associates for London Bridge City—are leading British architects with international reputations for innovation and excellence. I am confident that, with the teams associated with these two options, we will be able to ensure that the proposed new Greater London Authority is housed in a landmark building worthy of its status and one of which Londoners can be proud.
I would like to thank all those Londoners who took the time to visit the exhibition at Oxo Tower Wharf where the ideas for the seven short-listed locations were on display. Nearly 1,000 people called in and the views expressed were carefully considered before coming to a decision. In fact, the two options I have chosen to take forward were the people's choice as well. Other factors such as finance, design, location and technical feasibility were also taken into account.
The next step will be to work with the teams from the two selected options and with our expert advisers to explore the ideas in greater detail and see how well they will meet the needs of the new Greater London Authority. We also want these buildings to contribute to their local area and intend to work closely with the local authorities to ensure that this happens. I expect to announce a final decision in the new year.