Ministry of Justice says reopening restores eight courtrooms and boosts capacity as London courts face major criminal case backlogs
Harrow Crown Court has reopened following a £26m safety overhaul, bringing eight courtrooms back into operation after a three-year closure caused by reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC).
The court was forced to shut in August 2023 after the discovery of RAAC, a material linked to structural safety concerns, with the building deemed unsafe.
Its reopening restores capacity to a system under significant strain, with ministers positioning the move as part of wider efforts to reduce criminal case backlogs and improve the speed of justice across London.
The Ministry of Justice said the refurbished site originally built in 1991 has been modernised with updated facilities and technology, enabling it to handle a wide range of cases more efficiently and increase the number of hearings taking place each day.
Before its closure, the court was handling hundreds of cases annually, and its return is expected to ease pressure on neighbouring courts that have absorbed its workload during the shutdown.
The reopening comes against the backdrop of continuing delays in the capital’s criminal justice system, with more than 19,000 cases currently awaiting trial and some victims facing waits of several years for hearings.
Courts minister Sarah Sackman said: ’We inherited a justice system in crisis — backlogs at record levels, courts left to crumble, and victims waiting far too long for justice.
‘Reopening Harrow Crown Court is a major boost to London’s overstretched court system, cutting delays and getting justice moving again for Londoners.’
The investment forms part of a broader government programme aimed at modernising court infrastructure and improving the experience of court users, including victims, with the upgraded building designed to deliver faster, fairer and more transparent justice.
London victims’ commissioner Andrea Simon said: ‘Victims are waiting years for their day in court, and even when they get there are often faced with a difficult and trauma-inducing experience. The reopening of Harrow Crown Court not only brings some capacity back into the system, but the investment in modernising the court will I hope lead to a better and more supportive experience for victims.’