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£1bn office development at Victoria is approved
Mira Bar-Hillel6 Feb 2009
A £1 billion scheme to redevelop six acres of land around Victoria station has been given the go-ahead in what authorities today hailed as a “credit-crunch-defying decision”.
The project will create more than 8,500 jobs, 203 flats, 800,000 sq ft of offices and a shopping mall.
Plans for the massive project, called the Victoria Transport Interchange scheme, were agreed at a meeting last night following two years of tense negotiations.
Previous applications, which included plans for three skyscrapers — the tallest of which was 134 metres high — had been rejected by Westminster council over fears it would ruin views of Buckingham Palace.
The new development will regenerate a six-acre island site north of Victoria Street, bounded by Bressenden Place, Victoria Street and Buckingham Palace Road — less than half the original 13.3-acre redevelopment area.
The tallest of the six new structures will be 87 metres and will not obstruct views of Buckingham Palace.
Reader views (8)
Barry is right, the previous schemes would have been far more beneficial to the area, although I do agree with Westminster that Buck Palace should not be surrounded by the number of towers proposed.
Portland House is a blot on the landscape as will be the new scheme. It is a mishmash of styles thrown together to get around the planning issues and does not have the infrastructure improvements that earlier scheme had. This may be a victory for the developer but it isn't a victory for Victoria
- Victoria Resident, London, 07/02/2009 01:07
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Well done! This area is very dismall and unkempt at the moment. But regarding highrise structures Did they mean views from Buckingham Palace or of it? Stag Place was said to have upset the Queen when first put up. But I dare say she has got used to it.
- Peter Seekings-Foster, Mildenhall, Suffolk., 06/02/2009 17:28
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Haha is Sarah serious? Im sure the natural wild habitats of the UK would have something to say to you if you concreted the UK over with 2 story buildings. Oh and what about all the historical buildings, are you going to knock them down and enforce mass migration? Oh the ramblings of those who cant look beyond their own garden gate.
The previous scheme was far superior. A far better public realm, the removal of the ugly Portland House, better integration with Victoria and a huge Victoria station improvement that will now not happen. What a waste!
We didnt get the original proposal because you could see the proposed taller buildings when you look toward Victoria when milling about in front of Buckingham Palace.
The fact that people generally only look at Buckingham Palace and not Victoria when making the effort to walk to Palace and the small fact that you can currently see a wall of buildings over in Victoria from St James Park seems to have escaped the bigoted minds of those in planning in Westminster.
Now shall we propose a council tax increase in Westminster so that Londoners can get back the improvements that Westminster carelessly threw away?
- Barry M, London, 06/02/2009 15:40
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I've read that it's a great scheme, it's generating jobs... well done Westminster for approving it.
- Get Over It - Change Is Good!, London, 06/02/2009 15:31
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Have you seen the state of voctoria at present?? This is going to be a great change.
- Ross, London, 06/02/2009 15:22
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Sarah, london lives in a world of her own given the hight of the buildings built BEFORE Queen Victoria was even thought about. Just look at places like Eaton Square.
If we followed her guidelines London would stretch to the South of France!
Come to think of it in this weather that might not be that bad!
Fact is its places like Victoria which are transport hubs where development should happen as it reduces the journies from stations to offices thus reducing congestion and making public transport more attractive to private cars.
Hopefully this scheme will help upgrade Victoria Station and will clear what is a slum area in the heart of the west end.
- Melvyn Windebank, Canvey Island, Essex, 06/02/2009 15:11
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They may not obstruct views of Buckingham Palace but 87metres is still too tall. Buildings in London do not need to be more than two storeys high, an upstairs and a downstairs like it should be.
- Sarah, London, 06/02/2009 14:43
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Knock it down.build it up, Knock it down build it up.....If it ain't broke don't fix it.
- Grim Reaper, Hell, 06/02/2009 13:20
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