Tall & Urban News

Southwark Council has canceled Haworth Tompkins' refurbishment of a south London tower block in favor of demolition after costs soared to nearly £70 million (US$85.2 million).

Councilors voted in favor of proposals to flatten Maydew House during a full council meeting on 6 February 2023. 

Demolition was the main recommendation of a document where cabinet member for housing Darren Merrill wrote that the cost of the refurbishment had risen to £69.6 million (84.8 million) in 2021 – £27 million (US$33 million) more than was forecast in 2019.

In comparison, demolition of the reinforced concrete block will cost £4 million (US$4.8 million). 

According to Southwark, the latest £69.6 million (US$83.6 million) sum did not factor in recent inflation nor the cost of previously unknown structural upgrades required to make the tower and its 144 units viable for retrofitting.

The original proposals, which would have added five stories to the 1960s tower, were approved in 2018. 

For more on this story, go to Architects' Journal.