On a beautifully clear day towards the end of Summer 2019 I visited the plot of land where New Scotland Yard used to stand to see the rising towers of the Broadway Westminster development that now occupy the land. Two of the concrete cores can be seen to have reached 19 storeys (of the projected 20).
The Broadway Westminster is a mixed retail and apartment development on the site of New Scotland Yard, the former headquarters of the Metropolitan Police. The Met, which moved there in 1967, relocated to Victoria Embankment to save running costs. In 2014 the 1.7-acre site was bought by the Middle Eastern investment company Abu Dhabi Financial Group (ADFG) for a reported £370 million. The development is set to include 268 apartments in towers between 14 and 20 storeys high. Space for retail will occupy the ground floors. The development has received criticism including the design and height of the towers and the small number of affordable properties. The developers are reported to be paying a contribution to Westminster Council for social housing elsewhere in the borough.
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