32-Story London Tower Recommended Despite Opposition

Woods Bagot-designed proposals for a 32-story office tower in the City of London are being recommended for approval despite opposition from government heritage adviser Historic England and an acknowledged conflict with local planning policies, Building Design reports. The practice’s vision, which was drawn up for developer Hertshten Group, for 85 Gracechurch Street would deliver 35,000 m² of new space. Historic England opposes the scheme because of its impact on grade II*-listed Leadenhall Market, the wider Leadenhall Market Conservation Area and the Church of St Michael at Cornhill, which is grade I-listed. The heritage adviser said Woods Bagot’s plans would result in “pronounced harm” to the historic environment, categorizing the harm in the “low to moderate range” of “less than substantial,” in the language of the National Planning Policy Framework. Historic England also flagged that although 85 Gracechurch Street is within the City of London’s Eastern Tall Buildings Cluster, its location within a conservation area should trump that status under local planning policy. However, recommending the scheme for approval, officers said the proposals were “a high-quality design” and included “a number of attractive features.” Woods Bagot is targeting a BREEAM outstanding sustainability rating for the building. Members of the city’s Planning Applications Sub-Committee meet to determine the proposals on March 20.