Move to prevent Big Ben tower lean
Imperial professor advises the Government on subsidence
Members of the House of Commons Commission have met to discuss options to deal with the subsidence problems that the Palace of Westminster is experiencing. The palace, which was constructed in 1870, is slowly sinking into the ground, and the clock tower, which houses the infamous Big Ben, is leaning at an angle of 0.26 degrees.
Conclusions from the discussion were that repairs should take place, though these will not be until 2020 at the earliest. The committee also stated that the Palace remains structurally sound.
This collaborates with the view of Imperial College’s Emeritus Professor John Burland. In an interview to Radio 4, he made clear his opinion that the swaying of the tower is not a problem to worry about. He added that this has been a problem with the tower for many years; the lack of cracks in the cladding suggests it had swayed during its construction.
He also stressed that the construction of a car park and the Jubilee Line Extension under the palace has only affected the angle to the tower very slightly – these changes were controlled during construction.
These modern constructions have also not caused the cracks seen in the buildings. Regardless, the cracks may actually be beneficial – natural swaying in the building will concentrate around cracks, forming them if none exist. He is also “not in the least” worried about the possibility of the palace sliding into the Thames.
Professor Burland has worked on a number of projects involving the palace, the first of which was an underground car park. More recently, he had a consulting role in the extension of the Jubilee Line. This included work to stabilise the tower, which was at risk of collapsing due to the close proximity of the new Underground station.
However, he is best known for his work in stabilising the Leaning Tower of Pisa, a project that ended in 2001. In gratitude for the part he played, the Duke of Castro made him a Knight Commander. Later, in 2005, he was made a CBE for his part in reinforcing the tower.
