The City of London is not a place that stands still. Considerations of heritage and history have not prevented the district from being a place of constant change and transformation, as spaces are developed and redeveloped time and time again.
A particularly notable feature of the Square Mile’s evolution in recent years has been its inclination to build up. An Evening Standard story from earlier this year found there were 26 towers of 75 metres or taller which were either being built, had been consented, or were ‘likely to be given the green light’ in the City.
Some of those are expected to be brought in front of the City of London Corporation, the area’s planning authority, before 2024 is out, including a tower the size of The Shard. Below we list some of the major applications to be decided this year.
One Undershaft
The 74-storey One Undershaft has already been in front of the Corporation’s Planning and Transportation Committee for an initial showing back in July. A decision on the scheme, designed by Eric Parry Architects for the applicant Aroland Holdings Limited, was deferred by the committee after concerns were raised about its impact on St Helen’s Square.
Prior to the meeting, the Chair of Lloyd’s of London, Bruce Carnegie-Brown, had written to the Corporation stating the proposal ‘would rob the City of a really important convening space’. Common Councillor Dominic Christian, a representative of the Lime Street ward in which the site is located and Global Chairman of Aon Reinsurance Solutions, told members the leaders in the insurance space he had spoken with all oppose the plans.
“If your audience today is the voters of Lime Street, those that are going to live and work there in the future, if you wish to sustain and advance that community, please, please defer your decision and seek further consultation,” he said.
A motion suggesting the scheme be deferred to allow for ‘minor adjustments’ was passed, with the plans due to come back to the Committee for a final decision.
31 Bury Street
While not the tallest of the bunch at 43 storeys, 31 Bury Street is arguably the most contentious of the expected plans to go before the Corporation before the year is out. More than 1,300 objections have been filed against the scheme, which is a reworked version of an application rejected in 2021.
The primary concern is the potential impact on the nearby Bevis Marks Synagogue, a Grade-I listed building which is the oldest synagogue in continuous use in the UK, in particular a reduction in sunlight. Rabbi Shalom Morris of Bevis Marks has described the application as ‘an affront to both the Jewish community and to UK heritage’, which will have ‘serious detrimental effects’ on the synagogue.
A spokesperson for the developer, Welput, previously said the company is ‘committed to stakeholder consultation and has sought to collaborate with many charities, schools and stakeholders, including the Bevis Marks Synagogue, throughout the entire process. As part of this, we have submitted detailed reports on this consultation and how this has shaped the submitted proposals’.
99 Bishopsgate
Only recently filed with the City, the plans for 99 Bishopsgate, located in its eastern cluster, involve the construction of a 54-storey tower alongside a series of public realm improvements as well as new pedestrian routes. If approved, it would be the fifth tallest building in the Square Mile.
Brookfield Properties, the applicant, says the redevelopment of 99 Bishopsgate ‘will provide a significant cultural offer in a standalone building, enhanced retail, and greening throughout’. A new City Market is envisioned at ground floor, plus a standalone six-storey cultural building, which would provide facilities including a multipurpose events hall, creative studios and a ground-floor gallery.
99 Bishopsgate is part of the same cluster as The Gherkin and The Cheesegrater buildings. Approval has been granted to additional schemes such as 55 Bishopsgate, while the One Undershaft proposal is also nearby.
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