Qatari Diar and Canary Wharf Group’s 1.5m sq ft Shell Centre, SE1, redevelopment scheme has survived a last legal hurdle, finally paving the way for a start on site.
The latest claim was brought by local activist George Turner, who sought to have the planning permission – granted by the communities secretary last year – quashed.
Turner was refused permission to appeal but it remains open to him to seek to persuade the Court of Appeal directly to allow him to renew his attack on the scheme.
The project includes the partial demolition of the Shell Centre and eight new blocks around the retained Shell Tower, varying in height between five and 37 storeys.
The scheme includes a pair of new office blocks – one prelet to Shell and one speculative – which will be forward purchased by Almacantar, plus 877 flats.
Turner claimed the planning permission had been improperly awarded and that the scheme would impact on open space, heritage assets and would be economically unviable for the local community.
