BT Tower's rooftop pool plan brings swimmers back down to earth

MCR's hotel proposal puts facility on a lower building, while public access to upper floors set to be restored

London's iconic BT Tower is set to get a rooftop swimming pool in plans submitted by the developer, but it may not be quite the view that readers expect.

MCR Hotels has submitted its planning application to Camden Council more than two years after BT agreed to sell the Fitzrovia landmark for £275 million ($346 million at the time).

The proposal covers the Grade II-listed tower and the lower buildings around its base, with plans for a new public square, shops, restaurants, and a rooftop pool.

REG AD

When The Register reported the pool plans earlier this year, we imagined an infinity edge high up the 177 m tower and a swim with a vertigo-inducing view. The developer's images bring us back down to earth: bathers would look up at the tower from the adjoining rooftop. MCR says the public would be able to use the pool.

REG AD

Those hoping for the view from the top needn't despair. MCR also plans to reopen the tower's upper floors to the public for the first time in decades.

The application follows two rounds of public consultation, during which the project team spoke to more than 300 attendees and received feedback that has helped to shape the proposals.

"Our vision has always been to honour the BT Tower's remarkable history while reimagining its future. Submitting our planning application is an exciting step towards reopening this landmark after almost 50 years, revitalising the area with new jobs and open space for Camden," said MCR chairman and CEO Tyler Morse.

Originally known as the Post Office Tower, it was completed in 1964 to carry microwave antennas that relayed telecom signals between London and the rest of the country.

As we reported previously, there was an urban myth that the BT Tower was omitted from maps because it was said to be designated an official secret, owing to its central importance to the UK's national telecoms network. This myth persisted, despite Ordnance Survey maps from the 1970s and 1980s clearly marking the structure.

If Camden approves the plans, work is expected to begin in 2029, after BT vacates the site, with a public reopening targeted for 2033. ®