A number of new towers are proposed for the City Cluster
Proposals for more than 100 new large towers in the capital have emerged since this time last year, according to an update on research by property company GL Hearn in partnership with New London Architecture (NLA).
The report shows that since last year plans for 119 new towers – defined as being 20 floors and over – have been identified, bringing the total number of proposed skyscrapers in the capital to 436.
Other parts of the research revealed that 233 of these towers have planning approval but are yet to start on site and a further 114 towers are either in planning or at pre-application stage.
The survey also found that 94 tall buildings had been submitted for planning since this time last year, up from 72 in the previous year.
However, the number of tall buildings completed in the past year was only 16, up from six in 2015.
A number of new tall buildings are proposed in the iconic City Cluster around Leadenhall, with the proposed 1 Undershaft becoming the tallest in the City at 73 floors high, and a new design for 22 Bishopsgate.
“If you look at what’s happening and the number of buildings in the pipeline, how many will actually be delivered? Skyscrapers and tall towers are an important part of London’s growth, but only part of the answer.”
James Cook, planning director for GL Hearn
Speaking to Construction Manager, James Cook, planning director for GL Hearn, part of Capita Real Estate, said while the numbers boded well for the construction industry, he would be curious to see the actual number of finished buildings.
“If you look at what’s happening and the number of buildings in the pipeline, how many will actually be delivered? Skyscrapers and tall towers are an important part of London’s growth, but only part of the answer,” he said.
Cook added that that while the overall numbers of tall buildings was increasing, the level of construction activity remained relatively flat. He attributed this to the significant development and investment risk required to commit to construct tall buildings.
The research also found that Tower Hamlets is the London borough with the largest number of skyscrapers in the pipeline, with 93 proposed, beating Greenwich’s 67 – a dramatic increase on the eight proposals identified in last year’s research.
An increasing number of tall buildings are also coming forward in outer London, with 23 proposed in Barnet and 18 in Croydon.
A significant number of the tall buildings planned form parts of wider masterplans, which arrange multiple towers in clusters. The Greenwich Peninsula scheme, for example, includes 32 tall buildings above 20 storeys.
Peter Murray, chairman of NLA, said: “The 436 tall buildings in the pipeline is a significant number. However, with the much publicised softening of the housing market, it remains to be seen how quickly they are delivered.”
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