City of London’s green tower gets the go-ahead

The City of London Corporation’s Planning and Transportation Committee has approved plans for what will be the first building in London to incorporate urban greening on a large scale.

The high-rise building at 50 Fenchurch Street will incorporate extensive vertical urban greening that is designed to mitigate air and noise pollution, combat the heat island effect, improve biodiversity, and help rainwater run-off management.

Bespoke metal planters will provide support for climbing plants on the south, north and east elevations to create an expansive green façade. At level 10, urban greening will be provided on the roof terrace through unique sculptural elements with vertical planting and the double-height winter garden.

The building will deliver 60,000m² of office space across 35 floors and 800m² of retail space. A new Livery Hall and offices for the Clothworkers’ Company and The Clothworkers’ Foundation will also be built at 50 Fenchurch Street.

The scheme will also relocate the historical 12th Century Lambe’s Chapel Crypt to a new location forming part of the free public exhibition at lower ground floor level.

Alastair Moss, Chair of the City of London Corporation’s Planning and Transportation Committee, said: “We are proud to support world-class development – creating more great spaces for the people who work, visit and live in the Square Mile.

“The new 50 Fenchurch Street building will be of the highest quality design and has a number of innovative features, including extensive urban greening all the way into the higher floors and a new public space. It provides a significant increase in flexible office floorspace, meeting one of the primary objectives of the City’s Local Plan and London Plan policies.

“We hope this new building will provide an example of sustainable development fit for future generations, as the City continues its pattern of sustainable growth.”