# Houses of Parliament at risk of ‘Notre Dame-style fire’ as renovation costs rise

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/houses-of-parliament-at-risk-of-notre-dame-style-fire-as-renovation-costs-rise/
- Published: 2026-11-04T00:01:18+00:00
- Updated: 2026-11-04T01:54:57+00:00
- Original publisher: The Guardian (publisher lean: Left)
- Original article: https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026/nov/04/parliament-notre-dame-style-fire-renovation-costs
- Topics: Culture, Fashion, Government, Politics, UK, World

## Key points

- Westminster’s restoration delays are raising costs and safety risks.
- Maintenance could reach £2m a week.
- MPs face two plans costing £15.6bn or £39.2bn.

## Summary

A parliamentary committee has warned that delays to restoring the Palace of Westminster leave it at growing risk of a major fire or other disaster, while pushing up the cost of repairs. It says MPs must make decisions on funding and the project’s direction to protect the Grade I-listed, Unesco world heritage site and avoid further damage to the UK’s reputation.

Maintenance currently costs about £1.5m a week and could soon reach £2m, with outdated electrics requiring round-the-clock fire patrols; each year of delay is estimated to add £420m to the programme. Two restoration options remain: a full decant lasting up to 24 years at about £15.6bn, or a staged decant lasting 38 to 61 years at about £39.2bn. The committee recommends clearer cost estimates, a timetable for a decision by 2030, plans for temporary accommodation and simpler oversight.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.