Keeping an Eye on The Big Buildings Coming to your Borough

In our recent item on London’s protected views we mentioned the proposed tower nicknamed “the Trellis”. This new build will be part of our ever-developing skyline, standing just 6 metres shy of the Shard on the south of the river.

Despite its imminent-sounding arrival, the Trellis won’t likely be built until the mid 2020’s. The Aviva building currently in its place has the ground lease until 2024. A lot can happen in just a few years, so that raises the question of what else is being planned for our city while we await the Trellis?

The Planning Pipeline

The total number of tall buildings in the London pipeline is now a whopping 436. It sounds not only daunting but disastrous. These aren’t of course all skyscrapers – buildings are deemed tall at 20 storeys and 73% of the planned new arrivals are badly-needed residential space rather than offices. All those plans will still mean major changes to our skyline.

London actually builds comparatively few tall buildings each year: there were six in 2015 and 19 in 2016. While there may be hundreds in the pipeline, very few are being realised right now.
The ever-crowded Leadenhall area, site of the
Gherkin, Grater and Trellis, will certainly see further developments. These include a redesign of the controversial, half-built 22 Bishopsgate. The redevelopment of 70 St Mary Axe, which was unveiled in 2008 and then shelved, is now being resurrected and should be on our maps soon. We can only hope the architecture makes a more favourable impression than its nickname – “the Can of Ham”. Classy.

The Sites Spread

Much as they might try, developers can’t fit 400+ buildings into Leadenhall, so they’re spreading out. Tower Hamlets has the largest number of proposed buildings. Only eight of the overall proposals are higher than 60 floors, one of which is Tower Hamlet’s “City Pride”, which has been renamed the “Landmark Pinnacle”. This residential building will reach 75 floors and will be taller than any residential building in the European Union. Subtle it ain’t but it’s at least simple in design. No food monikers to be found here.

Greenwich is making its mark too, with the second largest set of proposed buildings. Simulations showing the impact should all of them be built have sparked serious outrage and demands for stricter regulations. Canary Wharf will frankly be dwarfed.

Central London is by no means the only target of the big developers. In outer London, 18 tall builds are proposed in Croydon and 23 in Barnet. Clearly the capital’s clusters are spreading out. The problem is that few Londoners are fully aware of the decisions being made in their borough. Too often, planning goes through before the greater public has any idea of what is going on.

Keeping Watch

If you want a say in the future look of your city, keep an eye on your borough’s planning proposals. No one’s yet made this an easy process but the best way is to check out the Mayor of London’s weekly planning applications updates. Those plans that are referred to Sadiq Khan are published here, and you can see borough by borough what’s about to change your skyline.

If you’re interested in what the city centre will be like in the future look out for our upcoming article on the City of London’s soon-to-be skyscrapers.

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