Huge £45m bill for Peckham Rye station upgrade branded ‘scandalous’
The huge £45m bill to give Peckham Rye station step-free access – which is backed by a top Cabinet minister – involves forcing builders to use handheld tools to carve bricks and demolishing an art centre in order to complete the works, City AM has found. On Tuesday, energy secretary Miatta Fahnbulleh launched a petition [...]
A petition backed by top Cabinet minister Miatta Fahnbulleh has revealed that the £45m project to give Peckham Rye station step-free access has ignited controversy. The cost of the upgrade, which involves demolishing an art center and using manual methods, has led critics to label it "scandalous." The project, granted planning permission in late 2023, has seen a flurry of paperwork exchanged over nearly 18 months.
To preserve the Grade II-listed building, builders must use "handheld tools" to carve through brick walls, and green roofing requirements have added to the expenses. The project's complexity and commitment to heritage preservation have been criticized by campaigners and policy researchers alike.
Written by urgent.news from City AM's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
