London approves new 73-storey skyscraper after five metres were lopped off the top over fears planes might fly into it
1 Undershaft - nicknamed the Trellis - will be the second-tallest building in western Europe
A TOWERING skyscraper almost as tall as the Shard is to be added to London's skyline after the 73-storey building was given the green light by planners.
Known as 1 Undershaft, the site’s address, and nicknamed the Trellis, it will be the second-tallest building in western Europe at more than 300 metres.
Aroland Holdings was forced to revise its plans for the tower last month, slicing 5 metres off the top in response to concerns from aviation authorities about it impinging on space allocated to approach routes for planes travelling to London City Airport.
Once complete, it will stand at 304.94 metres tall - making it the second tallest skyscraper in the city after The Shard.
Designed by the architect Eric Parry for the Singapore-based developers, the building will have a free public viewing gallery and what is claimed to be London’s highest restaurant.
The skyscraper is to be built on the site of the Aviva Tower and is due to be completed at some point in the 2020s.
The existing Aviva tower will be demolished to make way for the new tower, which will have a free public viewing gallery at the top - the UK’s highest - and a public square at the bottom.
Aroland Holdings is working with the Museum of London for an exhibition space at the top of the tower.
Once final negotiations have happened with the council and existing tenants, the team behind the building said it expected demolition of the current building to take about 18 months and construction of the new building to take between three and four years.
An estimated 10,000 people will be housed in the building on completion.
It said it was too early to speculate on the final construction costs of the building, which will run into hundreds of millions of pounds.
Chris Hayward, chairman of the City of London’s committee, said the development showed that there was still a high level of investor confidence in the Square Mile after Brexit.
“Over the next 30 years I expect that we will need to deliver office space for more than 50,000 extra workers within the Square Mile, and this development is important in reaching that end goal,” he said.
“I believe this building will play an important part in increasing London’s attraction as the world’s leading financial centre.”