The City of London as a global centre for business is the most densely populated part of London during working hours, with more than 414,000 people travelling to work within the Square Mile every day.
The Square Mile has seen strong growth over the past few years, which has led to office occupancy rates growing to around 97%. This unprecedented demand has led to significant development and to tall buildings in particular. Barbara Weiss of the Skyline Campaign, writing in Estates Gazette last month, and mayor Sadiq Khan have stated that great consideration needs to be taken when looking at the development of tall buildings and, as the chief planning officer for the City of London, I could not agree more.
The City has some of the tallest buildings in the UK in our identified “Eastern Cluster”, including the Gherkin, Cheesegrater and Heron Tower. It is no accident that these recognisable buildings, and future developments, such as 22 Bishopsgate, are located in this part of the City.
Developments in a crowded and historic city such as London need to be carefully considered and balanced, and two restraining factors we have to take into account when considering planning applications are preserving protected views and respecting aviation safeguards.
In the western half of the City there are height restrictions around St Paul’s to prevent Christopher Wren’s magnificent cathedral from being obscured by modern developments. St Paul’s also presents other development restrictions in that it is the focal point of a number of wider protected views, from viewing points such as Primrose Hill, Richmond Park and Greenwich.
In the south of the City there are height restrictions around the Monument to the Great Fire of London, as well as protected views from many vantage points around the Thames.
In the eastern part of the City development height is restricted by measures to protect the setting of the Tower of London, a world heritage site.
Such restrictions mean that the growth in demand for office space in tall buildings can best be met in the Eastern Cluster, where they would have the least impact on London’s protected views and where they create a distinctive cluster in the heart of London. Even here, these buildings are affected by view lines, with the Cheesegrater at 122 Leadenhall Street and the Scalpel, due to be completed in 2017, being built with their distinctive angular designs to accommodate views of Saint Paul’s from Ludgate Hill.
Great care goes into the development, design, and decision to approve tall buildings in the Square Mile both in terms of their impact on the skyline and on their local setting and public realm. The City’s planning department is dedicated to ensuring that the City has the highest quality of architecture in buildings while ensuring the City’s continued growth, as well as protecting our heritage for future generations.
Annie Hampson is chief planning officer for the City of London
