A controversial Holocaust memorial and education centre is to be built in the heart of Westminster at a cost of more than £100m after the government gave it the go-ahead following a public inquiry.
The Board of Deputies of British Jews welcomed the decision, saying there was “something uniquely powerful about locating a memorial to the Holocaust right next to the centre of the UK’s democracy”.
But many objections to the proposal, including from Westminster city council, local community groups and some Jewish leaders and Holocaust survivors, were raised at the six-week inquiry last year.
Chris Pincher, the planning minister, backed the conclusions of the inquiry, which delivered its report to the government in April, although it was only published this week.
In a letter announcing the decision on Thursday, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government said Pincher “agrees with the inspector that the location next to the Palace of Westminster would offer a powerful associative message in itself, which is consistent with that of the memorial of its immediate and…
