European Land’s 42-storey Cucumber tower at Merchant Square, W2, has been approved by Westminster City Council’s planning committee.
The consent covers two towers of 42 and 21 storeys at 1 and 6 Merchant Square.
The Cucumber, at 1 Merchant Square, is set to be the tallest residential tower in the West End. The building was given the nickname owing to its slender high-rise design. It incorporates 271 private homes, a public skybar and shops.
The tower at 6 Merchant Square will contain 155 homes, 67 of which will be affordable, with further retail and leisure space.
The application has seen the residential provision increase to 426 homes, up from 324 in a previous application in 2011.
New regulations mean that European Land will now be liable for a £26.7m CIL contribution which did not feature in the 2011 permission. The developer said the cost has impacted the scheme’s viability and the number of affordable homes provided.
The developer has consequently increased the residential density. Some 67 of these homes will be affordable, delivered in a third tower at 2 Merchant Square.
Merchant Square has been under construction since 2009, with three buildings – at 3, 4 and 5 Merchant Square – completed between 2010 and 2015.
European Land is the developer and owner of the scheme, which is a 50:50 joint venture between the Reuben brothers and the Jarvis family.
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