Incredible new £1bn skyscraper will be London’s tallest – not everyone is happy

Objections have flown in for a London skyscraper costing an estimated £1billion over concerns about CCTV and road safety.

1 Undershaft would stand 309 metres high, making it the tallest in the City of London, and businesses in the area have concerns the CCTV needed would change the “welcoming” atmosphere.

Developers said the skyscraper would require “a robust security management process” including video surveillance and patrols, which Britain’s biggest private pension fund, Universities Superannuation Scheme opposes. 

Deloitte writing on behalf of USS, which owns a nearby building, said: “USS strongly objects to the inclusion of the large digital screen proposed for the southern facade of the development.

“The need for such robust security measures creates an environment of surveillance rather than one of openness and accessibility, ultimately detracting from the desired character of a welcoming and freely accessible public space.”

The 74-storey skyscraper with an overhanging shelf and a digital screen has been compared to a “toilet seat” or a “fried egg” on social media, and it would stand in the middle of three iconic landmarks: the Gherkin, the Cheesgrater and 22 Bishopsgate.

Developers submitted a revised plan with a smaller footprint after its initial submission was deemed to take up too much public space by the likes of Lloyd’s of London.

However, the pension fund believes it hasn’t taken into account the main concerns, with a spokesperson saying: “There has been virtually no change to the building envelope and massing.

“Notably, the overhang at Level 11 remains unchanged and continues to overshadow almost all public realm provided at ground level.

“Since the submission of our previous letter of objection, the design of the proposed scheme has been amended slightly … However, it is considered that these amendments do not address the fundamental objections raised in our previous letter of objection.”

Historic England wrote: “The latest proposals would, additionally, still seriously degrade the scale and character of the public realm around the site, causing harm to the significance of the three Grade I listed buildings adjacent.”

A spokesperson for the 1 Undershaft project team said: “Over the past few months, the design team has constructively engaged with stakeholders and the City of London to shape the proposed improvements to 1 Undershaft.

“Our proposals seek to create vibrant and dynamic spaces and include a large public screen which has been well received by stakeholders, with specific concerns over operation addressed in the application materials.”

1 Undershaft was expected to cost more than £1 billion to build, as reported in OnLondon.

Official costs are unknown and it was the target of a construction financing scam from 2017 to 2020.