The deputy leader of a London council has resigned after incurring sky-high costs while leading a 25-metre man-made mountain project in the middle of one of the London’s bustling tourist areas.
Melvyn Caplan resigned with immediate effect after a “totally unacceptable” rise in costs, Westminster city council’s leader, Rachael Robathan, said in a statement on Friday.
Accepting the resignation “with regret”, Ms Robathan said that the council has also instigated a thorough internal review to understand what went wrong and ensure it never happens again.
Total costs of the project’s construction, operation and eventual removal doubled to £6 million, exceeding the estimated forecast of £3.3 million.
Apologising for the early opening of the mound, Ms Robathan said there were “teething problems” with the attraction. Since its opening on July 26 this year, the structure has faced heavy criticism.
The mound, planned by Dutch architect company MVRDV, was designed for viewing the capital’s Oxford Street, Hyde Park, Mayfair and Marylebone.
It is part of a scheme to increase footfall in the shopping district as the pandemic restrictions ease.
“We are determined to continue our hard work to restore our city’s vibrancy, bring back visitors and ensure people can keep their jobs,” Ms Robathan said on Friday.
“Doing nothing was never an option. So when the mound fully reopens in September, I hope that people will come and see it for themselves.”
“The mound may delight or divide views and that’s ok, but we’re confident that in the end it will fulfil its original brief – to get people back into the West End and remind them of why this is a world class city.”
On Friday, the council announced that tickets to the mound, which is not due to open until January 2022, would be free for August.
Includes reporting by PA
