• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

MayorWatch

London News and Comment

  • NEWS
  • Twitter

Guide to City Hall – Home of the GLA

February 15, 2004 - Staff

cityhall_closeWhat is City Hall?
City Hall is the new home of Londonwide government.

It is often described as a purpose built building but in fact the initial design was developed before the building’s current use was decided.

The building was designed by noted architect Norman Foster.

Why didn’t the new London Government use County Hall, the home of previous Londonwide bodies?
Although the old County Hall was sold off after the GLC was abolished, the chamber and main office complex remain in place and the current owners of the building offered these for use by the new Authority.

The Government decided on a new building for several reasons; they were keen to use the building to help redevelop and regenerate an area of London and they wanted a symbolic break from the past.

Who chose the building?
The building was chosen in an open competition by the (then) London Minister Nick Raynsford.

The public were invited to submit their views on each of the seven shortlisted designs.

The final design and location – the Borough of Southwark – were unveiled in a media event on the Thames which was attended by the London Minister and the London Spokesmen for the Conservatives & Liberal Democrats.

Who owns the building and how much did it cost Londoners?
The building is owned by the developers (CIT group) not by the authority. The GLA inherited a 25 year lease which was negotiated by the Government Office for London.

The lease gives the GLA the building for the fairly cheap price of £36.50 per square foot (£393 per square metre) and is frozen until 2007.

All construction costs were met by the developer and the Government met in full the cost of fitting out the building.

Can I visit City Hall?
Yes – in fact the Mayor and Assembly encourage the public to do so. City Hall is open to the public each weekday. One of the key features is an observation deck at the top of the building which gives panoramic views of the capital.There is also access on some weekends.

Full feeding and WC/Baby changing facilities are available for visitors making the building suitable for families of all sizes and ages.

What is the address of the building and how can I get there?
The full address of City Hall is:

City Hall
The Queen’s Walk
London SE1 2AA
Telephone: 020 7983 4000
Fax: 020 7983 4057

The building is located within the ‘More London development’, close to Tower Bridge. It is also a short walk from London Bridge.

  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)
  • Click to print (Opens in new window)
  • Click to email this to a friend (Opens in new window)

RECENT UPDATES

TfL and Siemens unveil new Piccadilly line Tube train designs

852 new homes to be built in Acton by Transport for London

HGV operators in London urged to apply for a Direct Vision Standard permit

TfL proposes bus and tube cuts and annual fares increases to achieve long-term financial sustainability




Popular

1,700 extra Santander Cycles are coming to London’s streets

TfL confirms changes to Older Person’s Freedom Pass and 60+ Oyster card hours

TfL fares to rise in return for £1.6bn Government rescue package

Election for Mayor of London and London Assembly postponed until 2021

FEATURED

City Hall to move to Docklands as Mayor seeks to raise £55m for frontline services

‘Concern’ over TfL’s ability to deliver major projects in wake of Crossrail cost overruns

City Hall halts London Overground ticket office closures but many will still see opening hours reduced

Transport for London confirms bus cuts will go ahead despite passenger opposition

GOT A STORY?

As the original London news and scrutiny site we've been casting an eye over the capital's public services and politicians since 1999.

 

Many of our top stories started with a tip-off from a reader - if you've got something you'd like us to cover get in touch and we'll do the rest.

Stay In Touch

  • E-mail
  • RSS
  • Twitter

Copyright © 2021 MayorWatch Publications Limited · MayorWatch is Registered Trademark · All Rights Reserved · Contact Us · Terms of Use · Privacy Policy

MayorWatch Publications Limited · 20-22 Wenlock Road · London N1 7GU · Company Number 6291816

loading Cancel
Post was not sent - check your email addresses!
Email check failed, please try again
Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email.