# Renovation Delays Pose Notre Dame-like Fire Risk for UK Parliament Rising maintenance costs and safety incidents threaten the historic Palace of Westminster building. - **Source:** [Dezeen](https://www.dezeen.com) - **Published:** 2026-11-12 - **Topic:** [Business](https://brifing.si/c/business) - **Original article:** - **On Brifing:** https://brifing.si/s/3834bb3a-1252-4e9e-9821-ec701ef9a9e5 ## Rising Fire Hazards A government report warns that the Palace of Westminster faces an escalating risk of a major fire. The Public Accounts Committee identified these hazards as constant, citing frequent health and safety incidents within the aging structure. Officials explicitly compared the potential catastrophe to the devastating 2019 Notre Dame fire in Paris. ## Escalating Financial Costs Maintenance expenses for the UNESCO-listed building are projected to climb from £1.5 million to £2 million per week. Furthermore, every year the renovation project remains delayed, the total cost increases by approximately £420 million. These figures highlight the severe fiscal consequences of failing to reach a consensus on the restoration strategy. ## Political Decision Deadlock Parliament voted to vacate the building for restoration in 2018, yet progress remains stalled. Ongoing disagreements persist regarding how fully the House of Commons and House of Lords should depart during the multi-decade project. Committee chair Geoffrey Clifton-Brown described this hesitation as a political allergy to addressing the necessary repair work. ## Proposed Renovation Strategies The client board has outlined four potential strategies, requiring a final selection by 2030. The board recommends either fully vacating the premises or partially vacating during construction. Full evacuation is estimated to cost between £11.1 billion and £15.6 billion, while partial vacancy could reach a staggering £39.2 billion in total costs. ## Timeline and Complexity The proposed renovation timelines are extensive, ranging from 19 to 24 years for full evacuation and up to 61 years for partial vacancy. These estimates remain subject to parliamentary approval. The committee has urged authorities to scrutinize these figures carefully to identify potential cost reductions before the final legislative vote occurs. ## Missing Cost Estimates The Public Accounts Committee noted that several critical aspects of the project remain uncosted. These include the decommissioning process, the relocation of essential building services, and the restoration of the medieval cloister court. The committee has demanded that clerks provide a detailed schedule and comprehensive financial estimates for these remaining tasks. ## Preserving Democratic Heritage The report emphasizes that the Palace of Westminster serves as a vital symbol of British democracy. Failure to act promptly threatens both the physical heritage of the site and the interests of future taxpayers. The committee insists that immediate, decisive action is necessary to prevent serious consequences for the nation's historic infrastructure. ## Recent Successes Elsewhere While the main palace faces significant uncertainty, the adjacent Elizabeth Tower recently underwent a successful renovation. Completed by architecture studio Purcell, the project received a RIBA London award last year. This achievement serves as a rare positive example of heritage restoration within the wider parliamentary estate, contrasting with the current impasse. ## Sources covering this story - https://www.dezeen.com/2026/11/12/fire-risk-palace-westminster-renovation-delay/ — --- _Summary written by Brifing from the original reporting. Copyright in the original article belongs to its publisher; read the full piece at the link above._