Museum of London receives £180m funding boost

The Museum of London’s plan for a new museum in West Smithfield, EC1, has received a £180m funding boost from the City of London Corporation and the mayor of London. The corporation has pledged £110m and London mayor Sadiq Khan has awarded the museum £70m. The overall fundraising target for the new museum is £250m. Mark Boleat, chairman of the policy and resources committee at the City of London Corporation, said: “It is widely recognised that the current building at London Wall does not allow the museum to expand and flourish, and that the former market buildings are in a poor state of repair. “The approval of this significant contribution makes good business sense and is a major step forward towards the creation of a new Museum of London, both iconic in design and unparalleled in the way in which it tells the capital’s vibrant history.” Architects Stanton Williams and Asif Khan are designing the building. The design team, which also includes conservation architect Julian Harrap and landscape design consultant J&L Gibbons is now working to turn the initial concepts into a fully formed vision for the new museum alongside the City of London Corporation and the GLA. A planning application is expected to be submitted in 2018 to enable the delivery of the new museum by 2022. • To send feedback, e-mail louisa.clarence-smith@estatesgazette.com or tweet @LouisaClarence or @estatesgazette