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A Major Win for Pimlico Unites – Ombudsman Backs Our Call to Pause the PDHU Project

  • rebeccaisabellebry
  • 3 days ago
  • 2 min read

Today marks a significant victory for Pimlico Unites and for every resident who has stood with us in challenging the Council’s proposed PDHU heat network upgrade.


The Energy Ombudsman (newly appointed statutory ombudsman for resolving disputes between consumers and heat network suppliers) has published their findings — and while no formal remedy has been issued yet (because national technical standards are still being finalised), the conclusions strongly validate the concerns we raised. In fact, the Ombudsman’s recommendations align directly with the key demands Pimlico Unites has been campaigning for.


What the Ombudsman has said — and why it’s a win for us

  • The Council should take no decisions at this timeThe Ombudsman recommends that all decisions on the PDHU upgrade be deferred until new technical standards are released between Q1 and mid-2026. This is exactly what Pimlico Unites has been insisting on from the start.

  • Residents must have representation on the PDHU Technical CommitteeThe Ombudsman agrees that our concerns are reasonable and that residents deserve a seat at the table to ensure transparency. Another central Pimlico Unites demand — endorsed.

  • Improvements may be needed, but not at the scale or cost proposedThe Ombudsman states clearly that the current plan would place an unreasonable burden on residents. This validates the detailed technical and financial objections raised by Pimlico Unites.


What happens now

On the back of these findings, we have written to Westminster City Council to formally request that they:

  1. Pause all decisions on the PDHU upgrade, and

  2. Introduce resident representation on the PDHU Technical Committee without delay.


We have asked the Council to confirm publicly that no decisions will proceed until:

  • the new national technical standards are released,

  • a proper, evidence-based technical assessment is completed, and

  • meaningful resident engagement takes place.


Today’s outcome is the clearest recognition yet that resident voices matter — and that organised, informed action works. Thank you to everyone who has supported, volunteered, attended meetings, written letters, or contributed expertise. This result belongs to all of us.


 
 
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