Resident Power Prevails in Pimlico Heating Dispute
Residents in Central London's Pimlico area are celebrating a significant victory after Westminster City Council abruptly halted plans to upgrade the ageing district heating system serving their homes. The council confirmed that any decision regarding the future of the Pimlico District Heat Undertaking (PDHU) will now be delayed until later in 2026, rather than proceeding early in the new year as originally planned.
Campaigners Halt 'Reckless' Council Plans
Local campaign group Pimlico Unites, representing many of the 3,300 households supplied by the network, described the pause as a "significant victory" for community action. Hilary Golding from the group stated that the council's U-turn vindicates their long-standing position that rushing into irreversible decisions before understanding new regulatory standards was "reckless and irresponsible".
Ms Golding revealed that an Energy Ombudsman decision, obtained by the Local Democracy Reporting Service, had explicitly urged the council to pause the project until Ofgem publishes fairer pricing rules in mid-2026. Despite receiving this recommendation on November 17, the council voted to proceed with the project just three days later, she claimed.
"[The council has] been forced to accept what residents and the independent Ombudsman told them: wait for regulatory certainty," Ms Golding stated. She expressed hope that the authority will now reconsider installing electric combi boilers, an option she believes was previously overlooked.
Organised Action Forces Council Retreat
The campaign's success was attributed to coordinated resident efforts. Quoting a summer survey conducted by Pimlico Unites, Ms Golding emphasised: "We won this pause through organised resident action, detailed technical scrutiny and formal legal challenge. The council tried to dismiss our concerns at every stage but couldn't ignore 72% of affected households demanding genuine engagement."
The Local Democracy Reporting Service understands there remains an ongoing legal challenge regarding the passing on of costs under current lease conditions. Local ward councillor Ed Pitt Ford described the decision as "very welcome", noting that he and fellow councillor Jim Glen had been lobbying the council to reconsider its options.
The Conservative councillor added: "The residents can take a moment to breathe, it is only a delay and not a change of course. Only a vote for the Conservatives in May can ensure we sort this once and for all."
Ageing System Faces Critical Challenges
Westminster City Council has maintained that addressing the PDHU's issues remains "time critical". The network, which has provided heating and hot water to over 3,000 homes and commercial premises for decades, is now up to 70 years old and operating well beyond its design life.
A previous report highlighted the system's severe inefficiencies:
- £3.5 million spent on maintenance in 2023 alone
- Approximately 3,000 leaks and repair jobs reported annually over the past two years
- An estimated 30-40% of energy lost due to poor thermal efficiency
The council stated it has worked with the community to develop five potential options, including sourcing heat from river-based heat pumps, using mobile heat batteries shipped along the Thames, or connecting electricity directly to homes to bypass the PDHU entirely.
Councillor Liza Begum, Westminster City Council's Cabinet Member for Housing Services, commented: "This decision is about doing what is right for the local community. This is an essential project to address ongoing and worsening heating issues, and making the right decision is important to both the council and residents."
The council confirmed that while the final decision is delayed, work continues to ensure the community eventually receives a reliable, cost-effective, and efficient energy supply. When asked why it acted now given longstanding resident concerns, the authority declined to provide further comment.
