London Assembly moves into new Royal Docks headquarters

Sadiq Khan has pledged to spend savings made from the move on frontline services such as the police and fire brigade

The London Assembly has officially moved into the new City Hall at the Royal Docks, months later than originally planned.

Some staff have relocated and are now working at the new base, with others to follow next month.

The Greater London Authority (GLA) left its rented base near London Bridge for what was known as the Crystal building, which it owns outright.

The move should save the authority more than £60m over the next five years.

Delays in preparing the new headquarters led to the transfer being moved from October.

The previous City Hall was on the bank of the River Thames, near the Shard

Will moving the GLA base save money?

The GLA had been leasing the former City Hall at a cost of more than £11m a year from a private landlord - the Kuwaiti-owned St Martin's Property Group

The terms of the 25-year-old lease allowed for a break in the contract at the end of 2021.

Although it's understood a substantial discount was offered, the mayor and the property group failed to reach an agreement.

The GLA bought the Crystal in 2019 from electronics giant Siemens, which cited it as an exemplar of sustainable design.

That means no rent will need to be paid for the building - but millions of pounds will still have to be spent to upgrade security for the mayor and members of the London Assembly.

Last year, the Conservative group on the London Assembly claimed Mr Khan had exaggerated the potential savings from the move.

A subsequent review of the options by the GLA found the savings would actually be greater than first thought.

The Crystal building on Royal Victoria Dock in east London

All formal meetings of the London Assembly will take place at the new HQ from today, and the building and its café are also open to the public.

Some critics have argued the change in location could be a mistake as it is harder to reach than City Hall, which was in the centre of London next to London Bridge, with train and Tube links as well as bus routes nearby.

The Crystal is on the outskirts of central London, close to London City Airport, although it will link to the Elizabeth line when it opens later in 2022.

• What does the London Assembly do?

• The rise and fall of the GLC

The new City Hall was originally designed by Wilkinson Eyre Architects as a global sustainability showcase. When it opened in 2012, the Crystal (as it was then known) was the world's first building to achieve the highest possible ratings of sustainable construction standards, minimising its consumption of energy, carbon and water.

The mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said he was "delighted" to "usher in a new era for the GLA in this fantastic part of east London".

The GLA will also continue to occupy some space at the London Fire Brigade's HQ in Union Street in Southwark.

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