Plans for London Towers Originally Refused Now Revised

Squire & Partners is facing a backlash from Westminster Council after substantially increasing the height of a three-tower housing scheme in west London, which was previously refused for being too tall, Building reports. Initial plans for a trio of 15-, 18- and 32-story buildings on the site were rejected by the council in 2021 for their “excessive height and bulk” and impact on the local townscape, which includes four conservation areas. The project team revised the designs and is now proposing slimmer towers with an increased height to 17, 24 and 39 stories, a move which the council’s planning officers said would “quite notably increase” the scheme’s impact on local views. The council’s decision on the former application was called in by the Greater London Authority, meaning that London Mayor Sadiq Khan now has final say on the plans. The mayor is consulting with Westminster Council on the scheme, which will go before the council’s planning committee for an appraisal on February 28. The planning officer has recommended councilors issue an official objection on the grounds that any benefits of slimming down the towers has been negated by their increased height. The officer’s report also criticized the removal of nearly 5,000 m² of office space and for having a more “generic” design than the former proposals.