Aviva planning to nearly double the height of its planned City tower

Aviva is planning to nearly double both the height and floorspace of its proposed tower in the City of London.

The investor’s 130 Fenchurch Street scheme could be up to 32 storeys in height under plans being drawn up by Wilkinson Eyre.

Its previous plans for the site on the southern edge of the Square Mile’s eastern cluster of towers were for a 17-storey building designed by Farshid Moussavi Architecture.

This scheme was mothballed four years ago but last month Aviva appointed CO-RE to mastermind fresh proposals with a planning application expected early next year.

Technical documents filed to the City of London corporation by planning consultant DP9 have now revealed more details about Aviva’s emerging vision for the project.

>> See also: Aviva eyes redevelopment of City site at Fenchurch Street with plans due in next year

The scheme would replace the site’s existing 1950s Fountain House with a tower between 29 and 32 storeys in height and rising to 150m above ground level.

It would have a total floorspace of around 46,000sq m, nearly double the 26,000sq m proposed under Moussavi’s plans, with retail, restaurant and cultural areas at ground level and office space above.

Demolition of the 15-storey Fountain House is expected to take around two years and would start in early 2026 if the plans are approved, with construction set to start in early 2027 and completion pencilled in for 2030.

The site is not located in a conservation area and does not contain any listed buildings but backs onto part of the Leadenhall Market conservation area to the west and a small section of boundary of the grade II-listed 37-39 Lime Street.

Aviva’s portfolio of schemes in the City include One Liverpool Street, designed by Eric Parry and being built by Mace, and 101 Moorgate, also being built by Mace, and designed by John Robertson Architects.

CO-RE is on site with the construction of Lansdowne House, which will become the new European headquarters for US asset manager Blackstone, and which has been designed by AHMM and is being built by Mace.

But its scheme at 120 Fleet Street, due to be built by Lendlease, has been stalled because of funding problems while its redevelopment of the ITV Studios at 72 Upper Ground on London’s South Bank, and also due to be built by Lendlease, has been hit by a series of planning wrangles with a High Cout hearing into communities secretary Michael Gove’s decision to give it the green light earlier this year being challenged in October.