Westminster waste depot costs soar to £13.5m

The projected cost for Westminster City Council's new waste depot at Mandela Way has risen to £13.5 million, a significant increase from the initial estimate of £6.6 million. This escalation is attributed to the discovery of unexpected subsurface conditions that necessitate substantial alterations to the planned foundations and drainage systems.

Supporting Electric Vehicle Fleet

The depot, located just off Old Kent Road in Bermondsey, is a key component of the council's strategy to transition to a fully electric waste collection fleet. Once completed, it will provide essential facilities for waste collection and vehicle storage, designed to support around 40 new electric refuse collection vehicles. This initiative aligns with the council's commitment to achieving carbon neutrality by 2030.

Political Disagreement Over Costs

The project's budget increase has led to political friction. Westminster's Conservative administration has criticised the previous Labour administration, which approved the provisional budget in May 2024, for what they term a "due diligence failure". Council Leader Paul Swaddle stated that taxpayers are facing an additional £7.97 million bill due to the initial lack of ground investigation, money he suggested could be better used for public services.

Councillor Ellie Ormsby, Leader of the Opposition, defended the original estimate, explaining to MyLondon that the £6.6 million figure was based on early feasibility studies and was explicitly described as 'notional' and 'provisional'. She stated that the ground investigations subsequently revealed issues that would have impacted foundations and drainage, leading to the cost increase as the project requirements became clearer. Ormsby accused the Conservatives of "manufacturing outrage" and suggested they focus on their own review findings.

Project Timeline and Next Steps

The original early feasibility estimate for the Mandela Way project was approved by Westminster Labour in May 2024. This was part of a larger £7.6 million budget that also included a cleansing depot at Harewood Avenue in Marylebone. The Mandela Way depot must be completed by September 2027 to coincide with the start of the council's new waste and management contract, leaving no scope for further delays. The current decision is subject to a call-in period, which concludes on September 3.