Planning permission has been approved to develop the UK's first national Holocaust Memorial and Learning Centre in Victoria Tower Gardens, next to Parliament.

Construction work is expected to commence later this year.

The new Holocaust Memorial will be the national focal point to honour the 6 million Jewish men, women and children who were murdered in the Holocaust, and other victims of Nazi persecution, including the Roma, gay and disabled people.

The co-located Learning Centre will also focus on subsequent genocides in Cambodia, Rwanda, Bosnia and Darfur. The world-class facility will give visitors powerful and engaging experiences to learn about the Holocaust and subsequent genocides through a variety of mediums including historic photographs, film footage and audio recordings so that the stories of survivors can be heard by younger generations, present and future.

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The government will provide free entry to all visitors, in perpetuity. Government support will supplement funds raised from visitor donations and other charitable contributions to cover the running costs of the Memorial and Learning Centre which is expected to open in 2024. The government has already announced that it will contribute up to £75 million towards construction costs, to be supplemented by £25 million from charitable donations.

Following planning approval, works will start on the site later this year with an anticipated completion date of 2025.

The decision comes on the back of the sad loss of Asa Bruno of Ron Arad Associates, a crucial member of our design team.

Communities Secretary Rt Hon Robert Jenrick MP said: "This is an important moment for the whole country: today’s decision means that the National Holocaust Memorial and Learning Centre will be built in the heart of Westminster, right next to Parliament. The government will now move forward with the construction of the memorial, which will start later this year.

"We have a duty to ensure that the history of the Holocaust is never forgotten and never repeated – the Memorial and Learning Centre will allow everyone to reflect, remember and honour those who suffered and died and to educate future generations in anti-Semitism, where, if unchecked, antisemitism and hatred can lead.

"I'd like to thank all those who have worked tirelessly – and will no doubt continue to do so – to make this a reality. The UK Holocaust Memorial Foundation is driving this project forward and I know this will be deeply appreciated by many, including Holocaust survivors who can be assured that their stories and the history of the Holocaust will continue be told to future generations."