Love them or detest them, it appears like regardless of a big slowdown in constructing skyscrapers throughout the spring and summer time in 2020, there was not the downturn feared due to the pandemic.
According to New London Architecture’s annual assessment of skyscrapers over 20 storeys or extra, there are 587 tall buildings within the pipeline in London – with 310 granted full planning permission and 127 into consideration. A complete of 35 tower blocks had been completed final yr.
The 42-storey “cucumber” tower at Paddington’s Merchant Square was completed final yr. It has 436 flats and is now west London’s tallest condo block.
But Nine Elms noticed the completion of a fair taller skyscraper – the 53-storey One Thames City.
And East London has the most important variety of tall buildings within the pipeline – primarily in Tower Hamlets, Newham and Greenwich.
The report says extra skyscrapers are prone to rework the skyline in outer London – and most of them are residential reasonably than workplace blocks.
There had been 10.8 per cent extra planning permissions granted in 2020 than in 2019 – the third consecutive yr that permissions for tall buildings rose.
New London Architecture mentioned this might counsel “an growing willingness of planning committees to approve tall constructing proposals, both as standalone schemes, or as half of a bigger masterplan”.
However final yr noticed a 27 per cent drop in planning purposes in contrast with 2019 – this implies a drop from 107 to 78. Submitted purposes stay round 36 per cent decrease than the market peak in 2018.
In 2020, work began on simply 24 tall buildings, down from 44 within the earlier yr. It was the bottom variety of new begins for tall buildings throughout London since 2013 .
Overall work completed on 35 residential and business tall buildings in 2020 – 9 of those in outer London.
And New London Architecture predicts that 2021 could possibly be a bumper yr for completions, with 52 tall buildings anticipated to be completed this yr.
Although footfall in the City of London is far decrease than regular, Peter Murray from New London Architecture mentioned: “The outlook for new workplace buildings within the City of London is remarkably optimistic in the mean time regardless of the probably improve in dwelling working.
“This optimism is buoyed by a long-term scarcity of provide in addition to a ‘flight to high quality’ by occupiers who want to encourage workers to return to work within the workplace.”
Mr Murray added that because the mud settles after the pandemic there may be uncertainty about the way forward for demand for workplace area.
“Only time will inform how a lot discount there will probably be within the demand for area on account of altering post-Covid work patterns, however anybody constructing a tall constructing is fairly resilient and in it for the lengthy recreation.”
Because of the complexity of design, planning and building the supply course of spans financial cycles with a mean of eight years from planning to completion.
“However, there stays uncertainty over the City’s place as a world enterprise hub on account of Brexit and the rebalancing of the UK financial system,” mentioned Mr Murray.
The towers completed within the City final yr embody the 74-storey Undershaft, the 51-storey 8 Bishopsgate and the 62-storey block at 22 Bishopsgate, which incorporates the UK’s highest indoor climbing wall.
Gwyn Richards, who leads the planning division on the City of London Corporation, mentioned his division is busy coping with tall constructing purposes.
He mentioned the way forward for tower blocks embody: “Natural air flow, roof gardens and decrease densities of occupation, extra breakout areas, extra beneficiant ceiling heights, extra daylight and so forth. It’s a extra humane, extra light method, which helps the wellbeing of workers.”
He mentioned: “It could nicely result in an elevated demand for tall buildings, as a result of in case you’re placing fewer folks in a tall constructing, then you definately may require extra buildings. So that is the dynamic we’re beginning to see.”
And regardless of the pandemic, he mentioned the City’s planning division has by no means been busier.
“We have 4 underneath building, 4 going as much as committee within the subsequent few months and doubtless about seven within the pipeline. There’s been no let up.”
This features a 30-storey inexperienced tower at Gracechurch Street accepted in February.
A 50-storey workplace block close to the Bevis Marks synagogue can also be as a result of come earlier than the City’s planning committee this yr.
