City of London wins approval to build skyscrapers near Tower of London

A proposal to erect skyscrapers in the City of London has been given the go ahead, despite protests from conservationists that the new builds will spoil views of the Tower of London.

The Planning Inspectorate, which oversees planning applications in the area, sided with the City of London’s proposal to build skyscrapers on the eastern boundary of the financial district over plans put forward by Historic England, the government’s advisory body on heritage.

Historic England argued that a “larger uninterrupted gap of clear sky” was needed in order to preserve the Tower’s appearance.

The Tower of London’s status as a World Heritage site is partly dependent on its skyline as seen from the River Thames.

The City of London argued that rejecting their proposal would result in up to one million fewer square feet of office space being built.

In a letter published on Thursday, the Planning Inspectorate said: “We are not persuaded that the Historic England contours would result in a materially different heritage outcome from that achieved by the City Plan contours”.

The letter went on to argue that the City of London’s plans would allow for “continued visual separation between the Tower and the City Cluster”, while Historic England’s proposal would “materially reduce development capacity”.

The City of London’s plans were give the go ahead by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government as a result of the Planning Inspectorate’s findings.

Chair of City of London’s planning and transportation committee, Tom Sleigh, said: “This was never a choice between the Tower of London and jobs. The City was here first. William the Conqueror started his tower in 1078 in the corner of a city already a thousand years old, and the two have grown side by side ever since. Independent inspectors have now tested the plan and agreed: the Tower is protected and the City has room to grow.”

Historic England said: “We acknowledge the minister’s decision and we remain committed to working constructively with all partners to achieve an appropriate balance between supporting economic growth and protecting London’s internationally significant historic environment.”