Marble Arch Mound: Senior Westminster Council staff ignored warnings about spiralling costs

The Marble Arch Mound cost £6 million. Credit: Dan Kitwood/Getty Images

Top council staff ignored warnings about the cost of the Marble Arch Mound, a report has revealed.

Senior officers at Westminster City Council were repeatedly warned the £6 million viewing platform would be more expensive than planned but overlooked expert advice, an investigation has found.

A report by the council’s chief executive Stuart Love says the failures which led to the spiralling costs of the project are devastating and were avoidable.

It adds: “Despite clear and repeated warnings around the likely cost of undertaking such a project from experienced officers and the suppliers tasked with building the mound, overly optimistic financial updates were given to senior leaders.”

Senior council officers hid details and lied about how much money the mound would make and there was a basic lack of project management, the report found.

The Marble Arch Mound was forced to offer refunds to visitors amid widespread disappointment and derision of the grass-clad viewing platform. Credit: TOLGA AKMEN/AFP via Getty Images

It also says there was a lack of transparency on how the project was being funded with decisions often being made informally without proper documentation.

This meant the council’s cabinet members and other senior officers were unaware of how the scheme was progressing.

The Tory-led council paid Dutch architects MVRDV to build the mound in a bid to attract more visitors to the West End.

The pop-up attraction cost triple its estimated budget and will close in January.

It was made free to visit after global ridicule about its presentation and lacklustre views, with one visitor describing it as a “Btec Eiffel Tower”.

The Marble Arch Mound. Credit: Dan Kitwood/Getty Images

In the report, Mr Love recommended the council takes steps to avoid making the same mistakes that led to the mound fiasco.

Mr Love will now review director level council staff and above to ensure “appropriate levels of resourcing, skills and capability” are met.

It could spell job losses for high-ranking council staff and the leader and cabinet will be made aware of the recommendations.

The council will discuss the report at a public meeting on Wednesday (October 27)

Marble Arch Mound: Senior Westminster Council staff ignored warnings about spiralling costs, report says