City of London approves rival to the Shard

Latest plans for the redevelopment of the 1 Undershaft site are for a 74-storey office tower that, at 309.6-metres high, would equal the Shard as the UK’s tallest building.  

While the Shard stands along on the south side of the Thames, next to London Bridge station, 1 Undershaft is planned to be built within the City Cluster, between the Gherkin at 30 St Mary Axe and the Cheesegrater at 122 Leadenhall Street.

Singapore developer Aroland Holdings is partnered with UK development manager Stanhope for the project.  The designer is Eric Parry Architects with WSP as engineer – the engineer behind the Shard.

The building would have 154,156 sqm of Grade A office space as well as a 1,000 sqm free-to-visit public area at levels 72 and 73, operated in partnership with the London Museum and open seven days a week and evenings. The move is in line with the City Corporation’s boost footfall and economic growth across the Square Mile, with an educational space to encourage school visits.

1 Undershaft will also have a 2,500 sqm publicly accessible podium garden 42 metres above street level with a structural glass floor, complete with food, drink, and retail amenities across levels 10 to 12. The ground level public realm in the vicinity will be revamped, from St Mary Axe to parts of Leadenhall Street.

This is the third proposal that site owner Aroland Holdings has brought forward for the site. Previous proposals were approved in 2016 and 2019, when the building was nicknamed the Trellis because of its external cross bracing. The current design is described as quad-segmented.

Construction is expected to take around five years, starting at the back end of 2025 after the demolition of St Helen's tower, which occupies the site currently.

Chairman of the City of London Corporation’s planning and transportation committee, Shravan Joshi, said: “1 Undershaft is a truly remarkable building that will not only help to deliver on the demands for economic growth, through the high-quality office space it offers, but also contribute to the City’s growing cultural offer and tourist appeal.

“As another, much needed office development gets approved in the City of London, it speaks to the confidence that global investors have in the London real estate market and the UK economy more widely.”

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