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Shard of Glass tycoon plans three tower blocks
Mira Bar-Hillel23.02.09
A TRIO of tower blocks costing £350million - the highest of which will offer views of the Channel - are planned for the South Bank.
The Spires, rising to 100, 200 and 250 metres high, have been commissioned by "Shard of Glass" developer Irvine Sellar.
The 250-metre tower will be Britain's tallest block of flats and will include a penthouse suite expected to cost £100million.
Mr Sellar has commissioned the architects who converted Tate Modern from a power station and created the "Birds' Nest" design for the Beijing Olympics.
He has chosen a site not far from the 310-metre Shard, at London Bridge station. The new towers are planned just to the south of City Hall and will interfere with the Mayor's own views.
It will be the ultimate test of Boris Johnson's policy on skyscrapers. He has come under fire for approving towers in breach of his pre-election promises to oppose them.
Last week the Mayor was given the "bad planning award" by London's Green Party and also had two tower schemes he supported, in Ealing and Wandsworth, called in for public inquiries by Communities Secretary Hazel Blears. A planning application for the cluster of three towers is due to be submitted within the next two months. They will take seven years to build.
The towers, designed by Swiss architects Herzog and de Meuron, will have 31, 50 and 66 floors.
The proposed development has already angered conservationists. English Heritage is concerned that the spires will interfere with views of the Tower of London, a Unesco world heritage site. Local developer and conservation specialist Russell Gray said: "High-rise buildings have a place, but this is slap bang next to buildings of consistent character and scale.
"I'm not impressed by this brash, brazen, in-your-face approach. They say this is cutting-edge architecture by cutting-edge architects, but the reality is it will do nothing for the area."
But fashion designer Zandra Rhodes, whose studio and home would be overshadowed by the towers, said: "These blocks would be good for the area and will tie in with other things".
A London estate agent, who asked not to be named, was sceptical about building so many expensive flats in the area during a property slump, adding: "The developer has yet to sell the apartments in the Shard, and now he will be building his own competition. I think the price expectations are wildly optimistic".
Reader views (20)
For those who are worried that period bulidings round Borough/Borough Market are being lost forever should read the plans.....certain building facades will be painstakingly put back in place once the network and buildings have been completed so as to protect them.
I'm 100% behind the Shard. I think it will vastly improve a very run down area of London Bridge (where I also happen to live) and bring more business there which has got to be good for the South Bank generally - facilities, house prices etc.
Bring. It. On.
- Jayne Brown, London
Personally I cant wait for them to build it, as the site is currently home to New London Bridge House, 22 floors of an office block cleverly disgusised as High Rise Car Park. Also it has its big ugly step sister next door, Guys Hosital.
Now in regards to the 'Monsterous design' - for instance The Tate Modern is really not my cup of tea, actually I think its hideous, but I aprreciate it significance along the South Bank. Isnt this why we love our Capital City. Those of you who ever take a boat cruise from Waterloo Pier up to Canary Wharf, just take in the breath taking view of the Building from our rich History such as The Tower of London, and directly opposite the modern contempary glass building in More London such as the Major office, Norton Rose etc.
Then finally what will it do for the local area, does anyone honestly think it will damage the local area?? or will it bring in additional jobs, better transport links, new shops (that arent either a bar or a sandwich shop)safer place to live (For those of you with short memories, find out what Bermondsey Street was like about 7-8 years ago) and help house prices recover...I think so.
For those of you who think it's an eye sore, why dont you focus your efforts on the millions spent each year on pointless sculptures around the UK by our councils, government, rather than a prject funded by some Middle East Banks, and Arabs, that will only help the local area.
- Dai Gray, Borough
Can you use Freds pension money for one of these ??
- David., Chertsey.UK.
"These monsters, like the Shard, add nothing to the local area as local people have no access to them, and they will overshadow homes for a very long way across the borough. You afternoon sun will be gone forever."
Oh don't be so melodramatic. You'd think they were building a 300m tall wall. I don't think you quite grasp the concept of the sun moving East to West, meaning the shadow cast my the 'wide' angle of this new development will be constantly moving through the whole afternoon, meaning people will only lose their sun for about 20 minutes- half an hour. You want to stop a large development which will provide homes for key workers on a site that is currently a car park and all-round tip because a few people are going to have to do without the sun for an extra 20 minutes? Get over yourself.
Zandra isn't stupid, she knows exactly what she's supporting. Unlike you, not having even seen the development you are now objecting to. But wait, it's tall. I guess that's all you need to know...
- Les Ferris, Portsmouth, UK
Great, so now the ruddy Shard's going ahead and 22 listed buildings at Borough Market are being destroyed to build the inevitable glass box it's "Oh let's just squash the whole area and build giant towers!".
I live there. The plot they want to build on is small and surrounded by great period buildings.
These monsters, like the Shard, add nothing to the local area as local people have no access to them, and they will overshadow homes for a very long way across the borough. You afternoon sun will be gone forever.
Has Zandra actually realised she won't be getting much sun on her nice roof terrace with this lot at the end of her street?
- Thalia, London
Give planning consent immediately on the basis of a term consent and conditional upon all works starting within 12 months. Otherwise these will never be built.
- Martin Clarke, london
Looking at the phot above, it does amuse me when some people get their knickers in a twist about high rise construction generally, and the Shard particularly, when you have that monstrous box of ugliness Guys Hospital hanging around.
- Escobar A-lop-lop, Camden County
There was a recent claim by the same developer that the Channel could be seen from the upper floors of the Shard. It was proved to be incorrect - you can't see over the North Downs. Shame on Irvine Sellar for pushing this false claim.
- John B, Bedford
Stephen, you are clearly a fool, people (English Heritage and the Evening Standard in particular) really need to get over this hysterical view towards tall buildings. Very often they are brilliant examples of modern architecture. This development looks fanstastic from what I have seen and heard so far. I think it will complement the Shard very nicely and provide much needed construction work during the downturn.
- Jono, London
If more office blocks really are needed then build them in clusters away from central London. There is lots of available space at Canary Wharf, for example.
- James Pearson, London
Boris Johnson should say yes to the Spires scheme on the South Bank. As far as I can see the usual boo hooing is coming from the same old groups who don't seem to grasp that architecture has moved on and that simply not wanting buildings because they are tall is an argument that was lost years ago with the approval of the now under construction Heron Tower in the City.
- ben Veasey, London
Here we go again. The Evening Standard, English Heritage's "mouth piece" against anything new and over four stories high. These will be excellent additons to London which we can take great pride in this sort of development in such worrying times.
- Steve Crew, London,England
Clearly these building will need to be judged on their own merits and so its premature to make too many judgements before we've seen the actual proposal. But a few things are worth saying now. Firstly the argument that tall buildings here interfere with the setting of the Tower of London is a weak one, since the main viewing points for the tower are from Tower Bridge and the South Bank, and the proposed buildings would be behind the viewer from either of these positions. A precedent regarding views of the Tower has already been set by a public inquiry over the 'Shard' and English Heritage should remember this before making the same argument again.
Secondly, the architects are among the most highly respected in the world. They've already given London great buildings with the Tate Modern conversion and the Laban centre, and I believe they've earned the right to have their designs assessed with an open mind. We should be weary of anyone spinning up controversy before the new buildings have had a chance to make their case.
Finally, there is little doubt that tall buildings are a controversial and deeply divisive issue in London. Some view them with horror, while others greet them with excitement. Neither sentiment should be the basis for a rational planning system. London has need of housing and investment in infrastructure, the contribution tall buildings can make towards those aims should be judged alongside any aesthetic and heritage considerations. Its a big city after all.
- Henry Richards, London
Excellent news, we need more high density developments concentrated near tube stations to help prevent the vast swathes of greenfield sites being paved over with flat pack homes.
- Brian, London
This looks like a great project, thank god some architects have the vision to push this city forward!
- Adam, London
These high-quality towers will fit into the cluster around the Shard and enhance London's skyline. Such prestigious projects reinforce London's role as a world city.
- Steve Green, London
"the highest of which will offer views of the Channel"
Really? Says who? Assuming there would be enough height over the North and South Downs, at that height you'd still see the horizon before any large body of water.
- Escobar A-lop-lop, Camden County
Good, should be an exciting addition to the ever-evolving London skyline. I wish the ES and Londoners in general would get over this ridiculous, irrational phobia of highrise developments.
- Will Fox, London
Welcome to Ken Livingstone's toxic legacy to London. Ban skyscrapers in London NOW.
- Stephen, London
If it takes 7 years to build then the timing is perfect, He gets cheap, willing construction workers and one of a handful of new developments to be avaiable at the end of a recession. He might also have a lenient planning office to deal with who will be under pressure to create commercial prosperity.
- Jon, london,England
