Shard developer Sellar, along with Network Rail and MTR, the Chinese company that operates the Elizabeth line, have submitted a joint planning application for £450m-worth of station works at Liverpool Street and more than £1bn of commercial developments.
The £1.5bn plans – which are opposed by local heritage groups – have been developed in collaboration with architectural practice Herzog & de Meuron.
Despite being the busiest railway station in the UK, with up to 135 million people a year using the station and concourse area, it has just half the concourse space of similar London stations. It is also one of the most difficult to access for people with disabilities, with heavy luggage or with prams. It has only one accessible lift serving the mainline station and no step-free access to most London Underground platforms.
When the last upgrade to the station was completed in the early 1990s there was no expectation that passenger numbers would grow to the extent that it has.
Construction of a new office block (800,000 sq ft) and six-storey hotel (160,000 sq ft) over the station and at 40 Liverpool Street would provide funding for station improvements at no cost to taxpayers or passengers, the developers say.
The Victorian trainsheds would be restored as part of this project while local and street level views will be retained by setting back the commercial building from the historic façades of the Grade II* listed 40 Liverpool Street.
Sellar chief executive James Sellar said: “The upgrades to Liverpool Street station are essential in helping London maintain its status as a world-class city and encourage people back to the capital by significantly improving the experience for the station’s millions of users and commuters. The plans will create one of the most sustainable destinations in the Square Mile, including a rooftop garden and City Lido, both accessible to the public. The office, hotel and leisure components above the station will be designed with the highest environmental and wellness credentials and will enable the £450m of vital station upgrades at no cost to passengers or the taxpayer.
“Our entire approach prioritises protecting and enhancing the historic elements of both the Great Eastern Hotel and of the station itself. The original Victorian railway sheds at Liverpool Street station will not be touched but will be celebrated by opening up new views to and through them.”
Network Rail group property director Robin Dobson said: “Our plans for Liverpool Street will create a new transportation hub and a seven-days-a-week retail and cultural destination in its own right. This comprehensive plan will ensure the redevelopment is accessible to all, forward-looking and meet the City of London’s needs. Liverpool Street station will stand as one of the great stations, fit for the 21st century.
“The current experience designed in the 1980s falls very short and needs to change. Our vision will guarantee that sustainable travel and an exceptional experience becomes the reality for future generations. We will move from an inaccessible and overcrowded station to one centred on people, ensuring an open, accessible destination for everyone.”
Steve Murphy, chief executive of MTR UK ,said: “Our vision is to create a world-class gateway to our great capital. The upgraded station and surrounding environment will serve everyone who passes through, providing an inclusive, accessible, and transformative space.
“MTR has unique experience in rail-related property projects and is proud to be part of creating a sustainable landmark destination that will connect, build, and support thriving communities. Our proposal will greatly enhance the experience of passengers, visitors, and office workers. Importantly, the local community will also gain significant advantage from access to new facilities, cultural offerings, and unique public spaces both in and around the station.”
A coalition of heritage and conservation bodies is opposing the planning application. The Victorian Society is chairing the reformed Liverpool Street Station Campaign (LISSCA), which stopped the station’s total demolition in the 1970s. The committee is comprised of Save Britain’s Heritage, The Twentieth Century Society, Historic Buildings & Places, The Georgian Group, The Spitalfields Trust, Civic Voice, London Historians and The Victorian Society.
TV’s Griff Rhys Jones, president of LISSCA and the Victorian Society, said: “The final version of this scheme is as bad as we expected. It is insensitive and unnecessary and traduces a famous gateway to London, a listed working part of our history. I know all the heritage bodies combined are appalled by the precedent it would set. It must be rejected, and we will fight to ensure that it is."
A decision by the City of London Corporation is expected in 2024.
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