In the article below, Cllr Pitt Ford sets out his response to the recent press interest in the Pimlico District Heating Undertaking (PDHU), the scheme that currently heats over 3,000 homes in Pimlico.

There have been several recent articles on the district heating system in Pimlico, including the one titled “Flat owners face £66,000 bill each for council’s new green heating” by The Times. Those reading them may be forgiven for thinking it’s simply too expensive to go green, but there is critical context missing from the narrative. The figures presented are more a reflection of how local government in Westminster is being run.

There has been insufficient scrutiny from relevant Labour Council Cabinet Members. When examined closely, the figures often rest on questionable assumptions that seem tailored to favour certain costly solutions over others, rather than genuinely cost-effective, sustainable alternatives.

Furthermore, a lack of transparency by consultants casts doubt on the integrity of the process. AECOM, the lead consultant on this project, was also involved in the South Westminster Area Network, SWAN (a proposed £1bn+ district heating scheme) – which somehow emerged as the preferred solution. AECOM failed to disclose their role in the SWAN project, when asked for declarations of interest during a recent resident engagement meeting, despite the apparent conflict.

This is compounded by a disregard for input from elected officials. When I, as a local councillor, requested that specific sensitivities be run as part of the analysis, the consultants refused to accommodate this request, undermining the democratic process.

Adding to the frustration, residents have been denied adequate representation. Although the cabinet member, at my request, agreed to provide an infrastructure investment expert to represent residents’ interests, the budget allocated was a mere £10,000 – dwarfed by the £700,000+ spent on other consultants, resulting in a failure to hire anyone.

If handled properly, the true costs of these schemes would be significantly lower, with tens of millions saved by cutting back on consultancy fees, profit margins, excessive contingencies, and over-engineering.

The harsh reality is that retrofitting large district heating schemes into London’s heritage areas primarily benefits consultants and high-cost contractors. A more sensible solution would be to enable individual electric heating systems, powered by green energy from the grid, tailored to each building’s unique needs. Options like air source and water source heat pumps or electric combi boilers are viable, sustainable alternatives. Residents deserve the freedom to access the wider market for modern green energy solutions, rather than being tied to an outdated and overly expensive system.

Let’s Work Together  

We, as your local Conservative councillors, are committed to standing up for you and pushing for fair, affordable, and sustainable outcomes. If you have any questions or want to share your thoughts, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.  

Let’s ensure Pimlico gets a greener, smarter, and more resident-focused solution.  

Sign our petition to release residents from the district heating scheme and allow them to choose their own heating solution.