Aviva is looking to more than double the height of a Fenchurch Street office block, new documents have revealed.
A full application is expected to be submitted with the City of London Corporation for 130 Fenchurch Street later this year, with retail and cultural spaces, plus a restaurant, also to be included in the plans.
A spokesperson for Aviva Investors said the demolition and subsequent redevelopment of the site could help attract “world-leading businesses to the Square Mile”, adding more details will be shared “in the near future.”
In an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) scoping report filed with the City of London, professional services firm Arup wrote how the proposed new tower would be 29-33 stories above ground, at an approximate height of 150 metres.
This is almost double the initial 17-storey design drawn up by Farshid Moussavi Architecture. The new scheme is being worked on by WilkinsonEyre.
NOW READ: Banksy’s artwork to be relocated
The works would involve the demolition of the existing 13-storey Fountain House, plus a two-storey podium, with the new tower to be constructed in its place.
According to the EIA, which has been submitted ahead of a full application, the submission will read: “Demolition of the existing buildings, erection of a new building to provide a mix of office, retail and cultural floorspace, new spaces at ground level, hard and soft landscaping and associated works.”
The works are expected to begin in early 2026 and to be complete by 2030. Strip-out and asbestos removal has already commenced.
Aviva Investors, part of the wider Aviva group, is also behind the schemes at One Liverpool Street and 101 Moorgate. Together, these provide nearly 250,000 square feet of leasable office and retail space.
A spokesperson for Aviva Investors told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS): “Currently vacant, but with dated operational credentials and poor energy capabilities, 130 Fenchurch Street is an example of an asset in the heart of the City which could be hugely additive in attracting world-leading businesses to the Square Mile, and we are excited at the prospect of breathing new life into this important City address.
“Working closely with the City of London, our ambition is for these proposals to support its Destination City programme, which seeks to enhance the City’s reputation as a world-leading business and leisure location. We are currently working through plans for the site, with the aim of delivering a building that can be a showpiece in a dynamic pocket of the City which is currently undergoing significant redevelopment.
“Working with WilkinsonEyre, we believe these proposals have the potential to deliver a project of the highest standards. The City Plan 2040 outlines more than 1.2 million square metres of additional office floorspace being required by 2040 and we are pleased to support the delivery of that through these new proposals, adding to our existing schemes at 1 Liverpool Street and 101 Moorgate. We look forward to sharing more detail in the near future.”
According to the EIA, an application is expected to be submitted in late 2024.
For the latest headlines from the City of London and beyond, follow City Matters on Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.
