The Corporation has today (1 November) released new images visualising how the Square Mile’s skyline will look by 2030.
The new images capture all major developments which have been approved or resolved to approve by the City Corporation over the past 12 months and has been released amid a strong year of activity for the Planning and Transportation Committee, including a 25% increase in the applications received and decided, compared with the same period last year.
Most of the tall buildings fall within the ‘City Cluster’ area, located in the eastern corner of the Square Mile, which is already home to some of the capital’s most iconic skyscrapers.
With city worker numbers rising by 29,000 since 2021 and now standing at 617,000 in total, the City Corporation is negotiating development proposals that would provide over 500,000 sqm of much needed office space, equivalent to roughly 70 football pitches, with a further 500,000 already approved and under construction.
Demand for high quality and sustainable office space remains high, as estimates based on GLA data show that city job numbers should grow by a further 85,000, up to 2040. This is backed by a report from Arup and Knight Frank, showing a need of approximately 1.2m sqm of extra office space in the city by 2040, to accommodate this job growth.
As a ‘key area of change’ identified in the City Plan 2040 which is currently being updated, the City Cluster is set to see not just an increase in tall buildings, but also:
- New pedestrian routes and urban green space;
- More animated ground floor space for retail, food and beverage outlets; and
- More educational, cultural and heritage space to celebrate the city’s rich history.
The Square Mile’s cultural offer has already benefitted strongly from recently opened tall buildings. In the two months since opening, 8 Bishopsgate (The Lookout) and 22 Bishopsgate (22 Horizon) have already welcomed more than 70,000 people to their free-to-access public viewing galleries, which offer spectacular views of London from 50 and 58 storeys high, in a socially and inclusive manner for all communities and visitors.
Chair of the Planning and Transportation Committee at the Corporation, Shravan Joshi, said:
“These new CGI images clearly illustrate the ever-changing nature of London’s incredible skyline. It demonstrates that the City office is here to stay, and that the Square Mile’s real estate sector is robust and thriving, despite wider economic concerns.
“Through our flagship ‘Destination City’ policy, we are creating a culturally vibrant, inclusive and welcoming City, enabled in part by these tall towers which help accommodate the hospitality, leisure, social and cultural destinations that are flocking to the City.
“The City Corporation’s strong performance this year is underpinned by the Built Environment team’s efforts to de-risk many of the variables associated with real estate investment. This includes providing clear policy directives, working closely with stakeholders and undertaking transparent consultation on schemes.”
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