Tulip Tower: Mayor rejects plans for London skyscraper
In April, the City of
London Corporation (CLC) approved the 1,000ft (305m) Tulip tower proposed for
Bury Street, beside the Gherkin tower.
But Sadiq Khan said a
number of concerns raised in a London
Review Panel report
meant it would harm the skyline and had few public benefits.
Those behind the project
said they were "disappointed" with the direction given by the Mayor.
Mr Khan advised CLC planners to reject permission on the basis of reasons outlined by the panel, which included.
- The design did not constitute the very highest quality of design
required for a building in the location
- The proximity, height and
material would have a negative impact on the Tower of London World Heritage site
- The space around the proposed building was insufficient to be safe and to prevent overcrowding
- A lack of new cycle parking spaces failed to comply with the London Plan for transport
The London Review Panel
concluded The Tulip "does not represent world class architecture, it lacks
sufficient quality and quantity of public open space, and its social and
environmental sustainability do not match the ambition of its height and impact
on London's skyline".
A spokesperson for the mayor said Mr Khan had "a number of serious concerns with this application and having studied it in detail has refused permission for a scheme that he believes would result in very limited public benefit".
- Mayor finds 'Tulip' breaches
London Plan
- What are the rules on building skyscrapers?
- 'Tulip' tower planned for
London's skyline
The Foster +
Partners-designed tower was to be built at 20 Bury Street.
The CLC Planning and
Transportation Committee had supported the plan by 18 votes to seven after
conditions were imposed such as restricting ticket sales during peak hours.
Responding to the mayor's
recommendation, architects Foster + Partners and developers J Safra said:
"The Tulip Project team are disappointed by the Mayor of London's decision
to direct refusal of planning permission.
"We will now take time
to consider potential next steps for The Tulip Project."
Duncan Wilson, from
Historic England which had opposed the tower, said he was pleased Mr Khan
recognised the impact on views of the Tower of London.
"This building did not justify harming London's precious and irreplaceable heritage," he said.
Source: BBC News
16 July 2019